UC-NRLF 


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► 

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Nine  Motorboats 


AND 


How  TO  Build  Them 


Second    Edition 


A  Book  of  Complete  Building 
Plans  and  Instruction,  which 
contains  all  necessary  informa- 
tion for  the  amateur  who 
wants    to    build    his   own   boat. 


NEW  YORK 

THE     MOTOR     BOAT     PUBLISHING    COMPANY 

iio-iia  WEST  40th  STREET 


^/;^^5^ 


o> 


-K"' 


Copyright,  191 3-  by 
THE  MOTOR  BOAT  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
New  York,  N.  Y.      ■ 


c 

^ 

9 

CONTENTS 

Page 

.       .             7-15 

"Pop  Gun"— A  20-Foot  Runabout 
Designed  by  C.  G.  Davis 

A  25-Foot  Cruiser 

Designed  by  Frederic  S.  Nock     .... 

.      .          16-36 

A  Single  Step  Hydroplane 

Designed  by  George  F.  Crouch    .... 

.      .          37-47 

"Sunfish"— A  32-Foot  Day  Cruiser 

Designed  by  C.  G.  Davis 

.      .          48-60 

"Mollyhawk"— A  28-Foot  Cruiser 
Designed  by  C.  G.  Davis 

.      .          61-74 

"Beaver" — A  23-Foot  Cruiser 

Designed  by  C.  G.  Davis 

.      .          75-92 

A  25-Foot  Runabout 

Designed  by  Frederic  S.  Nock     .... 

.       .        93-109 

A  Dead  Rise  Runabout 

Designed  by  A.  M.  Keys 

.      .      110-113 

A  Light-Draft  Stern-Wheel  Boat 

Designed  by  C.  G.  Davis 

.      .      113-119 

e 

^ 

^ 

!> 

268523 


*'  Pop-Gun  " — ^A  Twenty-Foot    Runabout 


DESIGNED  BY  C.  G.  DAVIS 


THIS  little  runabout,  named  Pop-Gun  by  one  who  saw 
a  model  of  her,  is  a  20-footer  of  such  simple  con- 
struction that  anyone  can  undertake  her  construc- 
tion with  certainty  of  success — that  is,  anyone  who  knows 
enough  of  the  use  of  tools  to  build  a  box.  All  that  is 
needed  is  a  knowledge  of  how  to  use  a  saw,  how  to  plane 
the  edge  of  a  board  straight,  and  how  to  nail  lumber  to- 
gether. There  are  very  few  curved  cuts  to  be  made,  and 
nearly  every  cut  is  along  a  straight  line  that  may  be 
snapped  with  a  chalk-line  or  drawn  with  a  straight  edge. 
In  fact,  the  designing  of  a  boat  like  this  is  the  hardest 
part,  and  that  is  done. 

Simplicity  in  every  feature  has,  of  course,  been  the 
leading  object  in  designing  Pop-Gun,  but  simplicity  is 
quite  possible  in  a  very  good  little  runabout,  and  Pop- 
Gun  will  prove  a  handy,  serviceable,  sturdy  boat  that  will 
carry  several  people  easily,  and  travel  along  at  about 
eight  miles  an  hour  with  a  3-hp.  mot6r. 

The  construction  of  a  round-bottomed  boat  requires 
considerable  skill  other  than  that  necessary  to  use  the 
tools.  The  shaping  of  each  frame  and  plank  is  quite  an 
art;  but  in  this  boat  the  construction  is  so  simple  that 
anyone  should  succeed  in  producing  a  good  boat.  We 
will  take  each  piece  of  wood  in  turn  and  tell  you  just 
how  to  shape  it. 

First  come  the  three  patterns,  or  molds,  that  give  you 
the  desired  shape.  These  are  shown  clearly  and  with  all 
the  necessary  dimensions  marked  on  them  for  repro- 
ducing them  full  size.    A  large  sheet  of  brown  wrapping 


paper  will  do  if  a  clean  board  floor  is  not  available  to 
draw  them  on. 

Take  the  shape  of  the  middle  mold,  No.  2,  for  exam- 
ple. Draw  a  straight  line  horizontally  across  the  paper 
or  floor  and  with  a  large,  steel  carpenter's  square  draw 
a  center  line,  which  we  show  here  dotted  at  right  angles 
to  it.  Each  side  of  this  center  line  measure  off  2  feet 
4>^  inches,  which  represents  the  width  of  the  boat  at  the 
deck  to  the  inside  of  the  planking.  Eighteen  and  one- 
quarter  inches  below  this — the  distance  given  in  the  plans 
of  the  molds — draw  another  horizontal  line  and  measure 
f  out  two  feet  each  side^— that  distance,  i8j4  inches,  repre- 
sents the  vertical  depth  of  the  side  plank,  which  of  course, 
if  measured  on  the  angle  will  be  a  fraction  longer;  19 
■finches  it  really  is.  Four  and  three-quarter  inches  below 
the  second  line  draw  another  short  one  representing  the 
keel  and  measure  out  three  inches  each  side,  the  keel  being 
six  inches  wide.  By  drawing  lines  connecting  these  spots 
you  have  the  outline  of  the  mold.  The-  others  are  found 
in  exactly  the  same  way,  using  the  distances  marked  on 
the  plans.  Wooden  patterns  have  to  be  made  of  these 
three  molds  so  that  when  properly  spaced  and  set  up  the 
planks  forming  the  boat  can  be  bent  around  them.  This 
causes  quite  a  little  strain  to  come  on  the  molds,  so  do 
not  build  them  so  flimsily  that  they  will  give  or  break 
under  the  strain,  and  cause  your  boat  to  be  built  crooked. 

in  Figure  I  I  have  .shown  one  method  of  putting  to- 
gether a  mold,  and  in  Figures  2  and  3  other  ways  are 
shown.     It  matters  little  which  way  you  build  them:  the 


f/<i'4 


(i/hen  fhe  s  mou/a/s 
<5fef>i,  f ransom  anef  kee/  are  a/Zrea^y: 
a  ^/ra/<ffff  //ne  h  rct/£^  cfou//?  fhe//oor,  /:/ja 
apac/rit^  of  fhe  tvou/tifj  /J-  mea^uree/  e^anafeac/;  r^oif/a^ 
/^  set  up  an<^  j  ecu  re//  braceaf  ar^af  //jen  //}e  kee/  /o  danf  oy^er 
fhem  ar7af  fajferJi/  a/oufn  To  /As  a^rire'  /t  u////  /a^e.,  the  s/e/n  ao^:/ 
/h&  fra/i50/n  he/'r)^  prei//ou^/y  bo/fe^  fb  't 


1   i.3  e  »     ^ 


/•-S'/i 


Mould  No- 1. 


2--A'/z 


/iou/d  No-2. 


Mould  No-5 


Transom 


one  that  cuts  up  your  available  wood  to  best  advantage 
is  the  one  to  use.  Cleat  the  various  pieces  securely  to- 
gether and  nail  a  brace  about  4  inches  wide  by  i  inch 
thick  across  the  heads  of  each  mold.  Mark  the  center 
line  at  top  and  bottom  to  assist  you  when  you  come  to 
set  the  molds  up  along  a  center  line.  Don't  cut  up  ex- 
pensive wood  for  molds,  for  they  are  only  temporary 
affairs  that  will  be  thrown  away  when  the  boat  is  built. 
The  transom  is  to  be  cut  out  of  l^-inch  oak  to  the 
size  and  shape  given.  Try  to  get  good  dry,  seasoned  oak 
and,  if  possible,  a  piece  wide  enough  to  make  the  tran- 
som in  one  piece.  If  you  can't  get  this,  make  it  of  two 
pieces  but  keep  the  seam  between  the  two  well  up,  so  that 
it  will  be  out  of  water  most  of  the  time,  and  therefore  not 
be  liable  to  leak.  Saw  it  out  to  the  given  shape  with 
square  edges.  The  bevels  necessary  to  let  the  plank  lay 
flat  on  it  can  be  planed  off  later,  when  it  is  set  up,  by 
bending  a  board  over  the  molds  so  that  it  touches  the 
transom  and  then  planing  off  the  after  edge  until  the 
plank  lays  flat  on  the  transom.    (Figure  4.) 

If  the  transom  must  be  made  of  two  pieces,  plane  up 
the  two  edges  that  are  to  meet  so  that  they  make  a  per- 
fect fit.  You  can  soon  tell  whether  they  do  or  not  by  hold- 
ing them  up  to  the  light  of  a  window  or  lamp  (Figure  5) 

and  the  light  shining 
through  the  crack  of 
the  seam  will  soon 
show  you  where  the 
high  spots  are.  Mark 
them  and  run  a  shaving 
off,  and  then  try  again. 
Keep  at  it  till  you  make 
a  perfect  fit.  The  ama- 
teur is  very  apt  to  try 
to  do  this  with  a  short 
plane ;  most  amateurs 
show  a  preference  for 
the  smoothing  plane  but 
if  they  will  take  a  long 
"jointer"  plane  they 
will  get  better  results. 


The  amafeur  ^enem/Zy  /?as 
MO  i}ench  i//j&.  he  aefi  cs^au^r? 
c/o/jis  fences  antf  /loMs  //<^ 
^oaraf  betu/een  them  co^'^^ 
/ic  boi'es  a  ho/e.. 


A  strong,  neat  joint  can  be  made  by  dowelling  these 
two  together.  Lay  the  two  pieces  of  the  transom  flat  on 
floor  and  rule  about  four  straight  lines  across  both;  but 
be  sure  to  have  them  square  to  the  seam  and  parallel  with 
each  other  (Figure  6),  not  staggered,  as  in  Figure  7. 
If  they  are  put,  as  shown  in  Figure  7,  you  can  never 
drive  the  two  together  as  the  dowels  will  bind  and  pre- 
vent this.  The  holes  must  be  very  carefully  bored  so  that 
they  will  not  run  and  come  out  through  the  side  of  the 
board.  Clamp  one  piece  of  the  transom  in  a  bench  vise 
if  you  are  using  one  or  get  down  on  your  knees,  as  nine- 
tenths  of  the  amateurs  have  to,  and  hold  it  between  yoiir 
knees.    By  looking  squarely  down  on  it  you  can  tell  pretty 


c 


rie,-8 


'■-Transofn 


i'A'AU'fc^ttU'1^4'  - 


aencM 


..^^' 


.^^' 


a/o/1^  //le  /ra/iso/n  ytpu  ca/^  ^ee-  /jf 


-.'fii-.Z 


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10 


accurately  whether  the  bit  is  running  true  or  not.  A 
good  way  to  get  the  bit  started  true  is  to  tack  a  straight- 
edged  stick  against  the  face  of  the  board  opposite  the 
hole.  With  this  guide  you  can  keep  the  shank  of  the  bit 
true  by  your  eye.  Figure  8  illustrates  this  point  clearly. 
Bore  in  to  a  depth  of  about  four  inches  into  each  side. 
Don't  try  to  make  the  bit  cut  too  fast — just  press  on  the 
handle  of  the  bit  with  one  hand  and  after  you  have  cut 
in  a  couple  of  inches  pull  the  bit  out  and  run  your  hand 
down  it  to  sweep  the  shavings  out  of  the  worm  of  the 


FIGl-9 


ria///n^  jur/ace  /arMe  s/i/as  aff^  Ga//dn7  Jboardc. 

screw.  If  you  feel  the  steel  is  quite  hot  you  know  you 
are  crowding  the  bit  too  fast.  Crowding  too  hard  is  what 
causes  the  bit  to  run  out  to  one  side  and  may  cause  the 
point  of  it  to  come  out  through  the  side,  disfiguring  your 
transom.  Some  people  lay  on  a  brace  and  bit  and  put  all 
their  weight  into  it  and  then  wonder  why  the  bit  gets  bent 
or  cuts  crooked.  Give  the  cutting  point  time  to  do  its 
work.  A  bit  isn't  a  conductor's  punch  ,to  be  pushed 
through  by  force — turn  it.  Dip  the  ends  of  the  dowels 
into  some  liquid  glue  before  you  drive  them  into  the 
transom. 

In  order  to  give  a'  better  nailing  surface  to  the  side  and 
bottom  planks,  take  some  pieces  of  the  ij4-inch  oak  about 
three  inches  wide  and  screw  it  fast  all  around  the  edge 
of  the  transom.  Use  about  ij4-inch  brass  screws  and 
bore  so  that  their  heads  go  in  about  J^  of  an  inch.     Set 


of  jfen?. 

r/a-zo 


F/G'/Z 

these  re-enforcing  pieces  so  they  extend  out  beyond  the 
edge  of  the  transom  so  that  when  you  come  to  bevel  the 
transom  to  take  the  sides  and  bottom  planks  there  will  be 
wood  enough  to  do  so  and  it  will  not  be  as  in  Figure  9. 
Round  up  the  top  edge  of  the  transom  two  inches  higher 
in  the  center  than  it  is  at  the  sides  to  give  the  necessary 
crown  to  the  deck.    The  keel   is  a  parallel  oak  board. 


twenty  feet  long,  six  inches  wide  and  iJ4  inches  thick 
that  one  can  have  sawed  for  him  at  the  lumber  yard 
where  he  buys  the  wood.  Be  sure  to  get  a  sound,  clear 
oak  board. 

The  stem  is  built  just  as  ninety-nine  out  of  a  hundred 
skififs  are  built — of  two  pieces,  and' this  greatly  simplifies 
the  work.  There  is  no  rabbet  to  be  cut.  Just  get  a  piece 
of  dry,  sound  oak,  28  inches  or  more  in  length  and  3J^ 
inches  square.  Twenty-eight  inches  is  the  exact,  neat 
length  required,  but  if  you  get  it  out  3  feet  long  it  will  be 
long  enough  to  reach  the  floor  so  you  can  brace  it  se- 
curely and  then  saw  it  off  after  you  turn  the  boat  over. 
Down  the  side  that  is  to  be  the  front  edge  draw  a  center 
line  and  ^  of  an  inch  each  side  of  it  draw  lines  parallel 
to  it;  this  represents  the  J^-'nch  face  that  is  to  be  left 
square,  as  shown  in  figure  10.  With  draw-knife  and  plane 
cut  this  stem  to  the  wedge  shape  shown. 

To  secure  the  transom  and  stem  to  the  keel,  cut  out 
two  knees  of  3-inch  oak  or  hackmatack  so  that  the  grain 
follows,  in  a  measure,  the  shape  of  the  knees  and  is  not 
so  crossgrained  as  to  split  off  easily.  Cut  them  accurately 
to  the  angles  given 
in  Figures  1 1  and  12, 
and  be  sure  to  have 
the  edges  square  and 
true  so  that  when 
the  stem  is  riveted 
to  the  keel  they  will 
stand  square  and  not 
be  off  to  one  side,  or 
crooked.  If  you  have 
ever  done  any  rivet- 
ing these  knees  can 
be  riveted  to  the 
keel,  stem  and  tran- 
som by  some  J^-inch 
galvanized  iron  rod, 
riveted  over  clinch 
rings.  If  you  have 
not  done  any  of  this 
kind    of    work,    I 

would  advise  bolting  them  fast  with  galvanized  iron 
carriage  bolts,  putting  washers  under  the  nuts.  Set 
the  heads  in  just  flush  with  the  outside  of  the  keel  and 
stem,  but  at  the  transom  let  the  heads  in  far  enough 
(^  of  an  inch  will  do)  to  allow  a  wooden  plug  being 
inserted  to  hide  the  bolt  head.  Dip  the  bolt  into  varnish 
or  paint  it  with  red  lead  if  you  cannot  get  the  galvanized 
iron  bolts  and  are  forced  to  use  black  iron. 

You  will  find  that  now  is  the  time  to  bore  the  shaft 
hole  through  the  keel,  as  you  can  see  both  inside  and  out- 
side of  the  boat,  and  line  up  the  angle  you  want  your 
shaft  to  run  with  a  chalk  line  stretched  along  the  edge 
of  the  keel  plank.  Get  out  a  shaft  log  of  clear,  sound, 
4-inch  oak  and  fit  it  to  the  under  side  of  the  keel  as  it  is 
bent  over  the  molds.  To  do  so  you  will  have  to  cut  out 
part  of  the  mold  but  that  is  of  no  consequence. 

When  you  have  scribed  and  cut  this  shaft  log  so  that  it 
makes  a  perfect  fit,  lay  a  piece  of  heavy  muslin  painted 
with  rather  thick  white  lead  paint  between  the  log  and 
keel  and  with  boat-builders'  screw-clamps  screw  the  log 
firmly  in  place  until  you  have  bored  and  bolted  it  fast  with 
a  row  of  carriage  bolts  along  each  side.  Take  care  to 
leave  the  center  clear  of  bolts  so  that  the  shaft  hole  can 
be  bored  through. 

To  bore  this  hole  looks  like  a  momentous  question  to 
the  amateur,  and  if  he  tries  to  do  it  without  proper  pro- 
vision beforehand  he  will  find  that  it  is  diflficult.  First  of 
all,  get  an  auger  of  the  proper  diameter  for  the  hole  you 
want  to  bore.  This  diameter  varies  with  the  engines  and 
depends  upon  what  make  of  engine  you  decide  to  instal. 

Take  that  auger  to  a  blacksmith  and  have  him  weld  on 
a  long  handle,  five  feet  from  the  end  of  the  auger  to  the 


F/d'// 

Shape  of  knee,  fhaf 
/}o/cZ5  ffzf/jsCfH  Fo  Aee/. 


11 


20  '-  5 "  hn^. 


< 

•^ 


^ 

•^ 


P/an  of  s/'c/e  p^anM$    3o/h  /op  ar7j  boffo/r/  ea'^es  are  ^eac^ ^/ra/c^M  //^es. 


crank,  and  let  him  bend  a  crank  to  turn  it,  with  7  inches 
throw. 

You  cannot  bore  from  the  inside  out  and  to  start  the 
bit  on  the  outside,  clamp  on,  temporarily,  a  block  of  oak 
just  so  that  the  bit  can  start  into  it  and  get  cutting  true 
before  it  strikes  the  slanting  keel.  By  so  starting  the  bit 
will  bore  clean  and  true  through  the  keel  and  so  on 
through  the  deadwood,  or  shaft  log. 

To  hold  the  auger  true  while  starting  to  bore,  rig  up 
a  couple  of  temporary  uprights  with  a  score  cut  in  them 
just  enough  to  steady  the  auger  or  bit  as  shown  in  Fig- 
ure 13. 

With  this  much  done,  the  troublesome  features  of  the 
construction  are  practically  over  and  the  rest  is  plain 
sailing.  The  sides,  in  localities  where  wide  lumber  is 
obtainable,  can  be  made  of  one  board  to  a  side.  A  ^-inch 
cedar  or  pine  board  20  feet  6  inches  long,  24^^  inches 
wide  forward  arid  i4j/$  inches  wide  aft  will  do.  Both 
top  and  bottom  edges  of  this  side  plank  are  dead  straight 
lines,  requiring  no  shaping  whatever,  which  makes  the 
work  of  building  such  a  boat  much  easier  for  a  novice. 
He  can  lay  out  his  plank  with  a  chalk  line  or  straight 
edge,  and  so  long  as  the  planks  are  24^^  inches  wide  at 
one  end  and  14^^  inches  at  the  other  in  a  distance  of 
20  feet  6  inches,  he  cannot  go  wrong.  By  bending  such  a 
plank  around  the  molds  you  can  soon  see  how  the  edge 
of  the  transom  will  have  to  be  beveled  so  that  it  fits  flat. 


When  that  little  cutting  has  been  done,  proceed  to  fasten 
the  side  planks  into  place.  This  part  of  the  work  is  very 
interesting  to  the  amateur,  as  in  a  short  time  he  sees  the 
boat  rapidly  take  shape  and  begin  to  look  like  a  real  boat. 

If  the  side  planks  cannot  be  gotten  in  one  width  they 
can  be  made  of  two  narrower  ones.  The  frames  that  are 
fitted  in  afterwards  will  hold  them  securely  together  and 
the  seam  can  be  caulked  and  made  water-tight.  This 
seam  will  be  above  the  water  level,  however,  so  it  is  not 
likely  to  leak. 

Let  the  side  planks  extend  an  inch  or  so  beyond  the 
stem  and  transom  and  saw  them  off  flush  afterwards. 
Fasten  thft  side  planks  with  either  Ij4-inch  galvanized 
boat  nails  or  i>4-inch  brass  screws  to  the  stem  and  tran- 
som. To  make  a  neat  job  the  heads  of  the  nails  or 
screws  should  be  counter-sunk  about  J4  or  3-16  of  an  inch 
and  the  hole  either  filled  with  putty  or  a  wooden  plug. 

The  lower  edge  of  the  side  plank  must  have  an  oak 
batten  along  its  edge  to  give  a  greater  nailing  surface  for 
the  bottom  boards.  To  put  this  batten  in,  saw  a  notch 
out  of  the  corner  of  the  molds  and  then  bend -in  the  bat- 
ten, which  should  be  of  oak  about  ^-inch  thick  and  2J4 
inches  wide.  Either  rivet  this  to  the  edge  of  the  side- 
plank  or  screw  it  fast  from  the  inside,  letting  the  edge- 
e-xtend  down  far  enough  so  that  it  can  be  beveled  off  to 
take  the  bottom  boards,  just  as  the  re-enforcement  for 
the  transom  was  put  on. 


FIG-  13. 

7^e  ^cz/o/^r/d  ^  ai/(^er  /i:<fe/y  //- ri^/7/7//7(^  ^/-iie  to  f/)£  ///7e  a^ 


12 


A   "Pop  Gun"   buiU   by  Smith   Kennerson   of   Rochester,  N.  Y. 


PART  II 

THE  next  step  in  the  construction  of  Pop-Gun  is  to 
get  out  a  lot  of  strips  of  oak  for  frames  ^-inch  by 
2  inches  wide  and  rivet  them  across  the  inside  of  the 
side  planks  in  the  form  of  frames  at  intervals  of  every 
twfo  feet.  You  can  rivet  them  in  or  nail  them  fast  from 
the  outside,  setting  the  nail  heads  in  for  either  putty  ot 
wooden  plugs. 

At  each  up-and-down-side  frame  so  riveted  in  on  the 
side  planks,  fit  a  floor  frame  of  the  same  size  so  that  it 
notches  into  the  chine  piece  alongside  the  frame  and  is 
nailed  diagonally  through  it  into  the  chine  piece,  the  other 
end  beveled  so  that  it  fits  flatly  on  the  inside  of  the  keel, 
the  two  butted  together  in  the  center.  Screw  the  end  of 
the  frame  fast  to  the  keel  and  when  all  the  floor  frames 


Fic- 14 


^2fmbtr  ^a ' 


are  in  fit  in  some  i-inch  thick  sawed  Hoors  as  shown  in  the 
midship  section.  Fit  them  in  alongside  of  the  'frames  and 
nail  them  fast  to  the  frames  and  keel. 

Where  the  deadwood,  or  shaft  log,  is  riveted  fast  to 
the  keel  the  floor  frames  cannot,  of  course,  go  across  the 
boa-t,  and  to  secure  them  at  this  point  various  means  are 
resorted  to.  Some  builders  cut  a  dovetail  jog  in  the  shaft 
log  and  dovetail  heels  of  the  frames  into  it ;  others 
simply  butt  the  frame  up  against  the  log  and  rivet  it  to 
the  keel ;  but  a  better  way  than  either  of  these  is  to  cut 
out  some  small  oak  knees  and  rivet  them  alongside  of 
•the  frames  and  screw  them  fast  to  the  shaft  log,  as  in 
Figure  14. 

To  carry  the  engine  a  couple  of  heavy  floors  are  fitted 
across  high  enough  to  fit  onto  the  chine  pieces  and 
securely  riveted  or  bolted  to  them.  By  being  fastened  to 
the  chine  pieces  and  keel  in  this  way  they  distribute  the 
strain  of  the  engine  over  sufficient  area  to  prevent  its 
straining  the  hull  in  any  way.  Be  sure  to  cut  a  groove 
or  limber  hole,  as  it  is  called,  across  the  underside  of  all 
floors  down  near  the  keel  -to  allow  any  bilge  water  that 
may  collecet  to  run  aft,  where  it  can  be  pumped  out. 

When  all  these  floors  are  securely  fastened  in  you  are 
ready  to   plank   the   bottom   of  the  boat.     For  this   you 


need  some  %-inch  cedar  boards  about  9  inches  wide  and 
19  feet  long. 

The  first  plank  each  side  of  the  keel,  called  the  gar- 
board,  will  have  to  have  a  slight  bevel  planed  on  its 
edge  next  to  the  keel,  so  that  the  seam  will  not  stand 
open  too  wide.  It  must  be  wider  open  on  the  outside 
than  the  inside,  so  that  the  caulking  will  wedge  in  tight 
as  it  is  driven  in,  but  not  So  wide  open  as  a  square  edge 
on  the  board  would  make  it. 

You  will  find  a  straight  plank  will,  when  it  is  put  on 
over  the  floor  frames,  touch  the  keel  forward  and  aft, 
and  amidships  it  will  stand  away  Ij4  inches,  but  the 
plank  can  be  shoved  in  edgeways,  so  -that  it  will  fit  tightly 
all  along  the  keel. 

The  second  plank  on  the  bottom  will  not  be  quite  so 
long  and  can  be  edge-sprung  the  same  as  the  garboard 
was,  and  a  third  plank  on  each  side  will  complete  the 
bottom.  Cut  the  edges  of  each  board  so  ii  is  flush  with 
the  side  plank  and  either  screw  fasten  .or  nail  them  to 
the  edge  of  the  side  planks  and  frames.  If  you  have 
bought  clear  cedar  plank  you  will  not  have  much  plug- 
ging up  of  knot  holes  to  do,  but  absolutely  clear  cedar  is 
almost  impossible  to  get.  Try  all  knots  that  look  loose 
and  knock  them  out,  filling  the  hole  by  driving  in  a  pine 
or  a  cedar  plug  and  sawing  it  ofif  flush  outside. 

The  loose  knots  are  usually  distinguishable  by  a  fine 
black  ring  of  bark  around  them.  Ream  out  all  of  the 
black  stuff  so  that  clear  wood  shows,  for  if  you  leave,  it, 
it  will  only  rot  away  and  your  plug  will  then  be  loose 
and  liable  to  come  out. 

Plane  off  the  seams  so  that  they  are  smooth  and  even, 
and  with  medium  sandpaper  folded  over  a  block  of  wood 
just  large  enough  to  be  held  in  the  hand  easily,  scrub 
crossways  across  the  grain  and  then  with  fine  sandpaper 
rub  it  fore  and  aft  with  the  grain.     Before  you  give  it 


Sottom  Soan/ 


3 


/I  jfra/if/if  boan^  <M»  i;arM'er  /he  /fames  u//if  fifei  af  M&  ati/s  anifiiiM/  a/i 
opsmn^  of  /Vf  /f/cAat  //i  //k  /rr/t/d/e..  iruf/Ae  6aar</can  iepuj/isi/up  ^/a//t. 

the  final  rubbing,  the  bottom  planks  should  be  caulked. 
The  amount  of  cotton  necessary  for  this  will  vary  with 
the  size  of  the  seam  you  have  left  between  the  boards. 
The  seam  should  be  perfectly  tight  inside  and  opened 
about  an  eighth  of  an  inch  on  the  outside,  but  some  of 
our  amateur  builders  may  be  dismayed  to  find  a  plank  that 
was  put  on  perfectly  tight  has,  at  the  end  of  a  few  days, 
shrunk  so  that  it  is  opened  a  sixteenth  of  an  inch  or  so. 
It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  seam  is  made  wider  open 
on  the  outside,  so  that  the  cotton  you  are  caulking  with 
jams  tighter  and  tighter  as  it  is  hammered  into  the  wedge- 


13 


sTiaped  seam.  But  if  the  seam  is  wrongly  beveled,  that 
is,  so  that  the  seam  is  wider  open  on  the  inside  than  the 
outside,  you  can  readily  see  you  cannot  keep  the  cotton 
from  falling  through,  and  as  all   the  pressure  is  on  the 


^Dei^  'U'uyi'Sf'n^ori:^'''' 


'an  i-^,'/^. 


^otom  7s'c<!i^ar 


/^/DJM/P  ■5£CT/0N  SHOM/Ve;  CO.VSr/fUCTJOH 

outside,  if  it  is  beveled  as  first  described  you  can  see  it 
is  being  pushed  in  against  the  bevel  of  the  plank. 

The  seam  is  not  apt  to  be  open  the  same  amount  all 
along  and  to  even  this  up  somewhat  various  methods  are 
resorted  to.  One  way  is  to  take  a  sharp-edged  caulking 
iron  (Figure  15)  and  drive  it  in  the  same  distance  all 
along  to  even  the  seam.  Another  way  is  to  make  a 
"beetle"  out  of  hard  white  oak.  A  beetle  is  nothing  more 
than  a  round  or  oval  piece  of  oak  about  4  inches  long, 
2  inches  diameter  if  round  or  about  ij^  by  2  inches  if 
oval,  with  a  wedge-shaped  tongue  cut  across  the  long  way 
of  it,  as  shown  in  Figure  16.  By  being  cut  on  a  bevel  as 
shown,  you  can  insert  this  beetle  in  one  end  of  a  seam, 
and  by  driving  on  the  beetle  with  a  mallet  send  it  along 
the  whole  length  of  the  seam,  making  it  of  uniform  width 
and  bevel,  as  the  cedar  will  readily  compress  when  the 
beetle  comes  to  a  narrow  place.  Another  way,  but  one 
that  requires  metal  wheels,  is  to  have  beveled  edge  wheels 
set  in  a  handle  about  15  inches  long  (Figure  17).  By 
rolling  this  wheel  along  the  seam  it  can  be  opened  in  a 
few  moments. 

The  cotton  used  in  caulking  boats  comes  rolled  up  in  a 
ball  already  spun  into  a  band  about  as  thick  as  your 
thumb,  but  that,  you  will  find,  will  readily  split  to  any 
desired  thickness.  Take  off  a  string  of  it  large  enough 
•.to  pack  tightly  into  the  seam  and  either  hammer  it  in 
with  a  hlunt  caulking  iron  or  roll  it  in  with  a  blnnf-edge 
roller;  the  sharp  ones  you  used  to  open  the  seam  will  cut 
the  cotton  all  up.  Where  spun  boat  cotton  cannot  be 
obtained  take  the  ordinary  cotton  and  pull  it  out  into  a 
sort  of  string  and  roll  it  under  the  palm  of  your  hand 
■over  your  knee.  You  will  find  it  is  very  apt  to  break 
apart,  but  by  simply  laying  the  ends  together  and  rolling 


MAK/NG  /fiav   •     CAiXWS  fffO/^  iVOOOFA/jrAnOPFmK-^ll^fi  C/ti.K/Nsr  IVH^t 


aM/iirfi  fo/vr 


SLUVr/VMT 


A  -MOUS  3/iMFfoer  Of 

Z- SHoK/s  DiuNT evce  OF 
ii^eeL  nfu  tm  cor  ran 
wro  Tf/f3fn/-r 


them  they  will  unite  again.  On  very  small  seams  cotton 
wricking  that  can  be  purchased  in  balls  is  used.  This  con- 
sists  of    several    cotton   cords    loosely   twisted   intg__one 


round  wick,  but  any  number  of  these  cords  can  be  sepa- 
rated. Take  out  three,  four,  five,  or  as  many  strings  as 
will  be  necessary  to  fill  the  seam  and  twist  them  up  a 
little  before  you  hammer  or  roll  them  into  the  seam. 

In  caulking,  where  you  come  across  a  hole  larger  than 
the  general  run  of  the  seam  bunch  the  cotton  up  as  showjj 
in  Figure  18  by  loopmg  it  into  loops.  When  these  are 
hammered  into  the  seam  it  will  fill  the  hole. 

The  caulking  should  all  be  driven  in  so  that  it  is  at 
least  an  eighth  of  an  inch  or  so  below  the  edges  of  the 
planks  to  give  room  for  the  putty.  To  hold  the  cotton 
into  the  seam  and  to  form  a  holding-on  for  putty,  paint 
the  seam  over  the  cotton.  You  can  do  this  with  a  narrow 
chisel-pointed  brush,  but  the  edges  of  the  boards  will  get 
as  much  paint  as  the  seams.  Take  a  handful  of  shavings 
or  a  piece  of  cloth  and  wipe  off  the  surplus  paint  if  you 
have  to  use  such  a  brush.  There  is  a  special  brush  made 
for  this  purpose,  called  a  seam  brush,  consisting  of  a  sin- 
gle row  of  bristles  set  in  a  thin  wooden  handle.  When 
this  paint  is  dry,  mix  up  some  putty  and  putty  all  the 
seams  and  nail  heads  or  screw  heads  not  covered  by 
wooden  plugs  and  then  paint  the  bottom  with  some  anti- 
fouling  paint.  Green  looks  very  pretty  with  a  white  top 
side. 

When  the  bottom  is  dry,  knock  all  the  braces  loose  from 
the  floor  and  molds,  transom  and  stem.  Get  a  couple 
of  men  to  help  you  and  pick  the  boat  up  by  the  ends  and 
turn  her  over  right  side  up  onto  a  couple  of  boxes  or 
heavy  timbers. 

The  bottom  being  complete  the  next  step  is  to  build  the 
frame  for  the  deck.     For  a  shelf  to  lay  these  <1eck  beams 

F»G-  18. 


>  >  »  ■  .^g^ 


k4jen  you  sfr/ke.  a  ie//a^e  /:>/ac&^ 

on  you  want  two  strips  of  oak — yellow  pine  will  do  if 
oak  is  hard  to  get — I  "4  inches  thick,  3  inches  wide  and 
20  feet  long.  Nail  these  fast  to  each  of  the  frames  so 
that  the  upper  edge  is  about  ij^  inches  below  the  level 
of  the  edge  of  the  side  planks.  If  there  were  no  round 
or  crown,  as  it  is  called,  to  the  deck  beams,  which  are 
2  inches  deep  and  I  inch  thick,  this  shelf  would  be  put 
just  2  inches  below  the  side  line,  but  to  allow  for  the 
arch-up  of  the  deckbeam,  which  is  about  J/2  inch  at  the 
inner  edge  of  the  frames,  the  shelf  is  raised  that'  much  so 
the  underside  of  the  deck  beam  will  rest  on  it  and  the 
top  of  the  deck  beam  will  come  even  with  the  top  of  the 
side  plank  and  not  half  an  inch  or  so  below  it,  as  in  Fig- 
ure 19. 

To  get  out  the  oak  deck  beams  you  must  first  make  a 
pattern  of  the  curve  wanted.  A  flat  deck  made  of  straight 
deck  beams  spoils  the  looks  of  any  boat.  In  your  haste, 
to  get  the  boat  done  do  not  be  tempted  to  use  flat  deck 
beams. 

I  have  shown  a  crown  of  2j^  inches  in  5  feet  on  the 
plans.  You  can  sweep  such  a  curve  by  taking  a  batten 
15  feet  long,  drive  a  brad  through  one  end  as  a  pivot  and 
hold  a  pencil  at  other  end  as  you  sweep  an  arc  of  a  circle 
on  the  floor  or  on  a  thin  board  you  are  going  to  cut  as 
a  pattern.  The  measurements  of  such  a  curve  are  given 
in   Figure  20. 

With  this  pattern  you  can  mark  out  as  many  beams  as 
you  want  and  saw  them  out  by  hand  with  a  rip-saw, 
planing  them  up  smooth  afterwards.  If  you  have  no  cir- 
cle plane  to  go  around  on  the  inside  of  the  curve,  clean 
it  with  a  spoke  shave.  Get  out  two  beams  of  ij^  inches 
in  thickness,  one  to  go  across  at  the  forward  end  of  the 


14 


cockpit  and  one  at  the  after  end.  The  first  is  fitted  in 
alongside  of  the  third  frame  from  the  stem,  the  other  at 
the  second  frame  from  the  stern. 

In  the  general  construction  plan  one  style  of  deck  fram- 
ing is  shown  that  requires  considerable  cutting  and  fitting, 
bu^  a  far  more  simple  way  is  illustrated  in  Figure  21. 

The  sill  piece  is  of  i^-inch  wide  by  2  inches  deep  oak 
or  yellow  pine— oak  if  the  beams  are  to  be  jogged  into  it, 
yellow  pine  will  do  if  not.  In  Figure  21  there  is  no  cut- 
ting to  do;  the  sill  piece  is  bent  parallel  with  the  side  of 
the  boat  one  foot  in  from  the  outer  edge  and  riveted  to 
the  underside  of  two  beams  forward  and  two  aft.  Brace 
it  up  temporarily  until  all  the  short  beams  are  cut  and 
riveted  into  their  places,  as  shown  on  the  plans.  Then 
fit  one  permanent  brace,  about  midway  of  its  length,  and 
fasten  it  to  a  crossfloor  below  to  stiffen  the  deck,  should 
anyone  sit  on  it  along  the  sides. 

Nail  the  beams  down  into  the  shelf  with  3-inch  gal- 
vanized wire  nails.  Fit  a  V-shaped  block  of  oak  across 
from  side  to  side  away  up  in  the  extreme  bow,  resting  on 
top  of  the  shelves  and  butting  against  the  after  side  of 
the  stem,  thick  enough  (about  2>4  inches)  to  allow  you 
to  cut  the  proper  crown  of  the  decks  on  it  so  the  decks 
will  .ay  flat  on  it.  This  not  only  stiffens  the  boat  but  gives 
you  wood  to  screw  a  flagpole  socket  or  bevel  low  chocks 
fast  to.  1 

Fit  another  similar  block  between  the  beams  of  the  for- 
ward deck  as  shown  on  the  plans  to  receive  the  screws 
holdmg  a  cleat,  and  aft  in  the  corner  formed  by  the  side 
and  the  transom  fit  a  small  knee  to  stiffen  it. 

The  deck  should  be  either  of  Ya  or  ^-inch  pine  or  cedar 
put  on  in  wide  boards  and  painted  or  varnished  as  suits 
one's  taste.  I  would  not  advise  having  the  boards  too  wide ; 


one  hatch  setting  in  on  cleats,  screwed  fast  to  the  sides  of 
the  coaming  and  which  can  be  removed  bodily  to  get  at 
the  engine.  Such  matters  as  these  are  of  minor  impor- 
tance, and  any  man  will  use  his  ingenuity  to  rig  it  up  to 
suit  his  own  taste.  .       .    r      -ii 

The  placing  of  the  engine  and  lining  up  of  the  shaft  will, 
of  course,  have  to  be  figured  out  from  the  engine,  diameter 


FIG-20. 


^ 

5M 


I         f      I        t i i L — I, U 1 < ^ i ' * ■ 1 ^..~~ 

'    //  you  ^ai't  n/  room  ro  iswee/)  a<3  /artfe  a  c/rde,  you  i:an  /a/ 
oJ/  your  aecA  ijsa/ns /rjf?^  f/ieje  //(^ures 

that  is,  twelve  or  fourteen  inches.  Keep  them  down  to 
about  six  inches  in  width,  for  the  reason  that  the  expansion 
and  contraction  of  a  very  wide  board  will  cause  the  seams 
between  them  to  open  too  wide.  Fasten  the  deck  to  the 
beams  with  about  ij4  or  iJ/^-inch  galvanized  wire  nails, 
with  heads  punched  in  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  and  the 
holes  filled  with  putty  to  match  the  wood  in  color,  if  it  is 
to  be  varnished,  but  not  necessarily  so  if  you  are  going 
to  paint  it.  For  the  sake  of  simplicity  in  construction,  I 
have  shown  the  forward  end  of  the  cockpit  cut  off  V- 
shaped  instead  of  a  half-circle,  which  would  require  the 
steaming  and  bending  of  the  coaming.  This  V  shape  can 
be  cut  out  of  straight  stuff,  the  joints  reinforced  with  a 
block  of  oak  behind  the  seam,  and  to  which  each  of  the 
pieces  of  coaming  is  screwed  fast  from  thq  outside.  The 
coaming  should  be  at  least  J^  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  and 
one  can  use  his  own  judgment  as  to  height. 

On  the  plans  I  have  shown  what  I  consider  a  fairly 
good  layout  of  coaming  and  sort  of  cabin  over  the  engine. 
This  cabin  consists  of  two  flaps,  hinged  along  the  side,  that 
can  be  lifted  up,  exposing  the  motor,  or  simply  built  as 


FIG-19 


fl/Iou/ance  /nusf  ie. 
ma^e  /or  //?e  can^e 
oraraw/?  a/  //le  i/ee/: 
if!  pa/f//7a  //!  /^^ 


////!ej/?e///^/ouf  S ' 

ei/fe  tf///e  c/ecfr  /rw/// 
cofne.  "Tm  /an/  af  f/ie. 


of  propeller,  etc.,  which  you  intend  to  install.  It  is  really 
these  points  which  govern  the  boring  of  the  shaft  hole. 
To  determine  the  proper  height  for  the  engine  bed,  stretch 
a  chalk  line  very  tightly  from  temporary  braces  in  such 
a  way  that  it  centers  perfectly  at  both  the  inner  and  outer 
end  of  the  shaft  hole.  By  leveling  across  from  this  chalk 
line  you  can  determine  the  height  and  grade  for  building 
up  the  beds  to  which  your  engine  is  to  be  lag  screwed. 
On  the  outside  of  the  boat,  aft,  this  line  will  give  you  the 
heights  for  the  strut,  which  should  be  put  there  to  support 
the  shaft,  just  forward  of  the  propeller.  All  you  need  for 
this  is  the  angle.  Cut  one  end  of  a  thin  pine  board  so 
that  it  fits  against  the  keel  in  such  a  manner  that  it  forms 
a  right  angle  with  this  shaft  line  and  mark  across  it  the 
line  made  by  the  chalk  line.  With  this  as  a  templet,  you 
can  make  a  pattern  and  have  a  strut  cast,  or  take  a  piece 
of  about  ^-inch  brass  about  six  inches  wide,  bend  it 
around  either  a  piece  of  iron  pipe  or  a  piece  of  wood, 
about  Ya  of  an  inch  greater  in  diameter  than  the  shaft 
which  comes  with  your  engine.  Rivet  it  together,  and 
then  spread  the  other  part  out  in  the  form  of  two  legs, 
which  can  be  flanged  and  bolted  fast  to  the  bottom  plank- 
ing; by  putting  a  shaft  through  this  loop  so  formed  in  this 
sheet  brass,  and  pouring  babbitt  metal  around  it,  you  can 
babbitt  such  a  bearing  and  make  one  that  will  answer  all 
the  requirements  as  well  as  a  cast  strut  would  do. 

The  rudder  is  of  the  simplest  construction.  Take  an  oak 
board  about  Ij4  inches  in  thickness,  saw  out  just  such  a 
rudder  as  you  would  make  for  any  kind  of  a  small  row- 
boat,  and  attach  it  to  the  stern  by  two  screw  eyes  in  the 
transom,  two  in  the  rudder,  and  a  rod  dropped  through 
them,  forming  a  hinge.  Fit  a  wooden  yoke  across  the 
head  of  this  rudder  and  attach  tiller  lines  by  which  the 
boat  can  be  steered,  either  by  hand  as  a  rowboat  would, 
or  if  you  want  a  more  shippy  arrangement,  you  can  lead 
it  through  screw  eyes  or  fairleaders  in  the  deck  over  brass 
sheaves  to  a  steering  wheel  which  can  be  screwed  fast  to 
the  bulkhead  at  the  after  end  of  the  engine  space. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  go  into  further  details  on  this 
boat,  for  all  complications  have  been  avoided,  the  main 
object  being  to  tell  how  to  build  the  hull  in  the  simplest 
possible  manner.  The  deck  fittings  and  other  things  can 
be  arranged  to  suit  the  owner's  individual  taste. 


15 


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10 


A  25-Foot  Cabin  Cruiser 


BY   FREDERIC   S.   NOCK 


FOR  such  readers  as  will  be  interested  in  building  a 
small  cruising  motorboat,  I  am  going  to  try  and  de- 
scribe how  to  proceed  to  construct  a  25-foot  boat,  and 
if  these  specifications  are  carefully  adhered  to,  those  who 
build  will  be  surprised  to  find  what  a  handly  little  craft 
it  will  make. 

The  engine  for  which  the  boat  was  designed  is  a  two- 
cylinder,  two-stroke,  rated  at  6-hp.  and  the  weight  alldwed 
for  same  is  350  pounds.  Therefore,  if  you  do  not  use  one 
of  these  engines  you  at  least  should  bear  in  mind  that  in 
order  to  get  the  best  results,  you  should  install  an  engine 
of  about  the  same  weight  and  power,  irrespective  of 
whether  you  desire  a  two-  or  a  four-stroke  engine.  Do 
not  install  a  high-speed,  high-powered  engine  if  you  want 
a  cruiser,  and  bear  in  mind  that  this  craft  is  not  designed 
for  a  speed  boat.  Eight  (8)  miles  an  hour  can  be  de- 
pended upon  with  the  outfit  mentioned,  and  that  is  speed 
enough  for  so  small  a  cruiser. 

It  is  almost  a  moral  impossibility  to  cover  all  the  de- 
tails in  the  specifications  even  though  they  are  much  more 
comprehensive  than  such  as  I  should  furnish  to  a  practi- 
cal builder,  but  I  will  try  to  explain  as  closely  as  possible 
how  to  proceed 

When  you  have  laid  down  the  lines  full  size,  you  can 
proceed  to  get  out  the  moulds.  For  this  you  will  need 
about  100  feet  of  hemlock,  spruce  or  some  such  material. 
Saw  to  shape  and  don't  forget  that  the  lines  are  to  the 
outside  of  the  plank,  therefore  if  you  mark  your  moulds 
the  same  as  the  lines,  you  will  have  to  take  off  ^  of  an 
inch  around  same,  as  these  moulds  are  to  represent  the 
inside  of  the  planking  and  the  planking  is  to  be  J4  of  an 
inch  in  thickness.  Of  course  you  can  take  this  amount  off 
the  outside  when  you  lay  down  the  lines  if  you  prefer,  and 
bv  doing  so.  you  will  save  yourself  considerable  labor. 

A  practical  boat  builder  seldom  uses  all  the  moulds,  but 
wouMyjrobably  use  Nos.  2,  4,  8,  16,  20.  and  22,  and  spacing 
them  4  feet  apart  except  the  two  end  ones,  you  can  pro- 
ceed in  this  manner  and  have  good  results  provided  you 
use  good  strong  battens  to  make  a  fair  curve  and  hold  the 
frames  in  place  without  bending  the  battens. 

The  lines  as  laid  down  usually  show  but  one  side  of  the 
mould  as  both  sides  should  be  alike,  therefore  you  will 
find  it  easier  to  mark  out  one  side  of  the  mould  on  a  piece 
of  board,  fasten  this  to  another  pieee  and  saw  the  two  of 
them  out  at  the  same  time ;  this  applies  especially  to  the 
case  if  a  band  or  jig  saw  is  available.  Mark  and  cut  out 
all  your  moulds  in  this  manner  and  then  proceed  to  fasten 
them  together.  There  are  many  different  methods  in 
vogue,  but  one  that  is  about  as  good  as  any  for  the 
amateur   is   to   put   the   cross   pawls   in    such    a   position 


that  the  lower  edge  of  all  of  them  sets  to  the  sheer  line 
on  each  mould.  Where  more  than  two  pieces  of  wood  are 
used  to  make  a  mould,  you  can  cleat  them  together,  taking 
care  to  keep  the  cleat  well  in  from  the  edges  in  order  not 
to  interfere  with  the  frames,  etc.,  if  any  of  them  should  be 
close  to  the  mould.  Cleat  the  lower  part  of  the  moulds 
with  a  piece  of  spruce  or  some  such  material  about  2x2 
inches,  so  that  vou  can  use  this  to  fasten  the  mould  to  the 
keel 

If  the  cross  pawls  are  set  true,  it  is  a  great  help  in 
setting  up,  as  you  can  level  same,  and  again  I  would  call 
your  attention  to  the  necessity  of  marking  the  center  line 
on  each  mould.  I  believe  that  in  a  case  of  this  sort  it  is 
also  a  good  plan  to  mark  on  the  moulds  the  waterline,  for 
by  so  doing  you  can  easily  ascertain  whether  the  moulds 
are  all  set  up  correctly  or  not  before  starting  to  put  on  the 
battens.  The  practical  builder  could  tell  this  at  a  glance, 
but  it  is  not  always  so  with  the  amateur. 

When  you  have  completed  your  moulds,  you  can  pro- 
ceed to  mark  out  the  keel.  For  this  you  will  need  a  nice 
piece  of  oak.  about  21  feet  long.  3  inches  thick  and  12 
inches  wide;  carefully  smooth  the  sides  and  mark  out  on 
same  the  shape,  and  the  stations,  cut  to  the  lines  and  after 
carefully  trimming  the  keel  run  in  a  line  through  the  cen- 
ter of  the  upper  side,  and,  with  your  square,  mark  the 
stations  across  the  top.  Select  a  good  piece  of  oak  for 
the  stem,  mark  the  shape  on  same  and  cut  to  the  lines.  It 
is  a  good  plan  to  make  a  thin  wood  template  of  the  stem 
as  you  can  use  this  template  to  mark  out  the  shape  and 
also  the  rabbet  line.  To  do  this,  you  can  bore  a  number 
of  small  holes  along  the  line  of  the  rabbet,  and  with  a 
drill  or  awl  you  can  easily  reproduce  this  on  one  side  of 
the  piece  of  wood  you  have  previously  cut  to  shape,  re- 
verse the  template  and  mark  the  other  side,  draw  a  center 
line  down  the  face  of  the  stem  *and  a  line  ^  of  an  inch 
on  each  side  of  same,  which  allows  J^  of  an  inch  for  the 
face  of  the  stem.  Trim  from  the  rabbet  line  to  these  two 
outer  lines  and  then  proceed  to  cut  the  rabbet,  using  a  fid 
(Fig.  3)  to  get  the  bevel.  If  you  want  to  get  the  rabbet 
on  the  stem  absolutely  correct  you  can  do  so  by  marking 
on  same  the  waterline  and  cutting  the  rabbet  to  the  exact 
bevel,  but  I  do  not  think  you  would  save  much  time  by 
doing  this,  for  when  the  stem  is  in  position  and  you  start 
to  place  the  battens,  if  the  rabbet  line  needs  fairing  in 
places  you  can  easily  accomplish  same,  having  the  battens 
to  work  to. 

If  the  engine  you  decide  to  use  is  of  the  dimensions  as 
the  one  called  for  on  the  plans,  you  can  rest  assured  that 
the  line  of  the  shaft  will  not  differ,  and  therefore  you  can 
proceed  to  get  out  the  shaft-log.     For  this  you  will  need 


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19 


two  pieces  of  oak,  3J4  feet  long,  3x3  inches,  plane  them 
smooth  and  with  your  gauge  mark  a  center  line  on  lone 
side  of  each  piece,  and  another  line  ^  of  an  inch  out  on 
either  side,  scribe  a  half  circle  with  a  radius  of  ^  of  an 
inch  on  either  end,  and  proceed  to  cut  this  halfround  piece 
away.  If  you  are  so  situated  that  you  can  obtain  the  use 
of  machinery,  this  job  would  be  simplified  by  running  a 
few  saw  scarfs  through  same  to  the  required  depths ;  then, 
with  a  gouge,  cut  away  the  superfluous  stock,  finishing  it 
smooth  with  a  round  plane.  In  some  cases  the  boat 
builder  will  run  a  saw  scarf  through  the  center  line  of 
both  pieces,  clamp  them  together  and  with  a  spur  auger 
of  the  right  size,  bore  the  hole  through,  but  no  matter  how 
much  care  is  given,  the  spur  is  liable  to  run  to  one  side  or 
the  other,  and  not  follow  the  saw  scarf,  and  if  this  happen; 
you  will  spoil  your  shaft-log.  If  you  happen  to  have  an 
auger  of  the  right  size,  it  would  do  no  harm  to  run  it 
through  the  center  of  the  log  after  you  have  cut  the  two 
pieces  out  to  shape,  for  in  this  manner  you  can  rest  assured 
that  the  hole  is  the  correct  size  and  round.  Do  not  try  to 
spline  this  shaft-log,  as  there  is  but  little  stock  on  either 
side  for  the  fastenings  and  by  putting  a  stop  water  at 
either  end  and  calking  between  them  you  can  make  the 
seam  tight.  The  horn  timber  can  now  be  gotten  out,  the 
specifications  call  for  this  to  be  sided  3  inches.  Select  a 
nice  piece  of  oak,  mark  and  cut  to  shape,  draw  a  center 
line  along  the  upper  side  and  then  proceed  to  get  out  the 
knee  for  the  transom.  This  can  be  an  oak  or  hackmatack 
knee,  a  natural  crook  is  to  be  preferred,  to  be  about  3 
inches  in  thickness.  Cut  to  shape  but  do  not  fit  until  you 
are  ready  to  set  up  the  keel. 

You  will  need  another  knee  to  connect  the  stem  to  the 
keel,  which  same  can  be  a  natural  crook  or  cut  from  a 
plank,  mark  it  out  on  the  plank  so  that  the  grain  runs 
from  point  to  point  in  order  to  get  the  greatest  strength, 
it  is  to  be  3  inches  in  thickness.  When  you  have  cut  it 
to  shape,  cafefully  fit  same,  taking  due  care  to  see  that 
all  joints  are  close  and  when  fitted  to  the  stem  and  keel, 
the  stem  does  not  lean  forward  or  aft,  but  is  the  same 
position  as  shown  on  the  plans.  Clamp  the  knee  in  posi- 
tion, bore  and  bolt  together  with  }i  inch  diameter  gal- 
vanized iron,  sink  the  heads  of  the  bolts  well  into  the  out- 
side of  the  stem  and  keel  so  as  to  allow  for  covering  same 
with  wooden  plugs.  The  inside  ends  should  be  riveted 
over  galvanized  iron  washers,  or  if  you  prefer,  you  can 
fasten  the  knees  in  position  with  galvanized  iron  screw 
bolts;  if  a  washer  is  put  under  the  nut,  you  can  draw  the 
pieces  together  in  good  shape. 

When  the  stem  is  fastened  to  the  keel  you  can  proceed 
with  the  shaft-log.  Set  this  in  position  and  bore  through 
each  side  about  4  inches  from  the  forward  end,  and  bolt 
through  keel  with  5-16  inch  diameter  bolts,  counter- 
sinking the  heads  in  the  underside  of  keel  and  drawing 
up   with   nuts  on  washers  on   the   upperside  of  the  log. 


A    Holf  Siding  of  3tttn 

3  ,PqcK  KohU^  h^1gr3gdl(^r^of  inaid*  of  "PlanK  with  3tewi 

C  KQ^itct  Lint ■■  outside  .-       ■■         »        » 

Fig.  3 

e 
Bore  and  put  in  two  more  bolts  of  the  same  size  about  8 
inches  from  the  after  end  of  the  log,  although  in  this  case 
it  would  be  better  to  use  drive  bolts  about  12  inches  in 
length.  For  these  you  will  need  some  5-16  inch  diameter 
galvanized  iron ;  cut  to  length  and  with  a  hammer  slightly 


taper  one  end.  Then  lasten  in  a  vise  and  hammer  a  head 
on  the  oth^r  end.  Bore  through  the  shaft-log  with  a  5-16 
inch  diameter  bit,  and  into  the  keel  with  a  J4-inch 
diameter  bit  or  auger.  Set  the  horn  timber  in  position, 
and,  after  .carefully  fitting  same,  secure  it  by  clamps  or 
some  other  convenient  method,  and  proceed  to  fasten  it ; 
if  you  start  at  the  forward  end  it  would  be  well  to  bore 


STEM 
PATTERN 


two  holes  about  4  inches  from  the  end.  Bore  these  holes 
through  the  horn  timber,  shaft-log  and  keel  with  a  5-16 
inch  diameter  auger  in  such  a  position  that  they  will  be 
on  either  side  of  the  shaft-hole.  Countersink  the  under- 
side of  the  keel  for  the  heads  and  use  5-16  inch  diameter 
bolts  and  nuts  set  up  on  the  upper  side  of  the  horn  timber ; 
you  will  find  that  you  may  have  to  trim  the  wood  a  trifle 
in  order  to  get  a  good  bearing  for  the  washer  as  the  top 
of  the  timber  is  at  an  angle  to  the  bolt.  You  can  put  in 
two  more  bolts  about  10  inches  further  aft,  and  "Btill  an- 
other two  about  10  inches  aft  of  them,  and  then  the  horn 
timber,  shaft-log  and  keel  are  well  fastened  together,  but 
you  have  not  as  yet  fitted  the  stern  post  in  position, 
although  the  keel  is  cut  for  it. 

Select  a  piece  of  oak  that  will  work  out  3  inches  square 
and  about  15  inches  in  length,  and  cut  to  fit  the  space 
allowed  for  same.  When  you  are  satisfied  that  it  fits 
properly  you  can  fasten  it  in  position  with  5-16-inch  drive 
bolts. 

The  transom,  whi'  1  the  specifications  state  is  to  be  of 
oak,  is  ij4 'inches  tl-ick.     You  will  need  two  pieces  -30x36 


20 


inches,  and  inasmuch  as  it  might  be  a  difficult  matter  to 
procure  oak  30  inches  wide,  you  will  probably  have  to  use 
two  narrower  pieces  and  bolt  them  together,  or,  if  you 
prefer,  you  can  use  mahogany  for  the  transom.  There  :s 
little  or  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  this  material  30  inches 
wide,  but  it  would  cost  a  trifle  more  than  oak.  Thfr-^rfans 
show  one  half  the  transom  with  all  dimensions  marked  on 
it.  You  can  set  this  out  direct  on  one  of  the  pieces  of 
stock  for  transom  if  you  desire,  and  saw  it  out  and  mark 
the  opposite  side  for  same.  Or  you  can  saw  the  two 
pieces  at  one  time  with  a  band  saw.  Trim  carefully  to 
shape  and  get  out  a  couple  of  cheek  pieces  of  oak  i  inch 
thick  and  about  3  inches  wide ;  set  these  almost  out  to  the 
edges  of  the  transom  and  fasten  with  galvanized  screws, 
these  pieces  are  to  be  trimmed  to  form  a  back  rabbet  to 
fasten  the  ends  of  the  planking  to,  and  you  will  probably 
have  to  fair  them  to  some  extent  when  you  start  to  put 
on  the  battens. 

You  can  now  proceed  to  set  up  the  frame.  Draw  a 
chalk  line  on  the  floor  where  you  intend  to  set  up  the  boat 
and  to  the  edge  of  this  line  set  up  4  pieces  of  spruce  3x4 
inches,  each  oiece  to  be  one  foot  longer  than  the  height 
on  the  table  of  offsets  of  ^ase  line  to  keel  bottom,  at  sta- 
tions 2,  8,  14,  and  20.  Nail  a  strip  of  wood  to  the  sides 
of  these  upright,  so  that  the  upper  edge  will  represent  the 
base  line,  and  if  the  floor  is  level,  it  will  be  one  foot  above 
same.  Set  this  strip  of  wood  level,  using  a  long  spirit 
level  to  ascertain  that  neither  end  is  high.  The  forward 
side  of  these  posts  will  represent  the  stations  Nos.  2,  8,  14, 
and  20,  and  you  can  measure  up  on  from  the  upper  edge 
of  the  strip  representing  the  base  line  and  see  that  the 
dimensions  correspond  to  the  heights  of  keel  bottom  above 
the  base  line  on  table  of  offsets.  These  uprights  must  be 
well  braced  forward  and  aft  and  also  at  the  sides  in  order 
to  keep  them  upright  and  sustain  the  weight  of  the  boat. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  obtain  any  special  size  stock  for 
these  braces,  as  most  any  stock  from  i  to  2  inches  thick 
will  serve  the  purpose  if  properly  fastened.  Set  the  keel 
on  the  uprights  and  ascertain  that  it  is  in  the  right  posi- 
tion ;  measure  from  the  base  line  to  the  waterline  on  stem 
and  see  that  it  is  2H  feet  above  the  base  line  as  per  plans. 
Plurnb  the  stem  and  securely  brace  it  from  overhead  if 
possible.  If  you  are  sure  that  it  is  correct,  you  can  fasten 
some  wooden  cleats  to  each  side  of  the  uprights  and  also 
fasten  to  the  keel. 

The  knee  and  transom  can  be  fitted  and  fastened,  using 
plenty  of  fastenings  but  taking  due  care  not  to  get  any 
nails  or  screws  where  they  will  interfere  with  the  rudder 
port,  which  will  have  to  be  bored  and  time  spent  looking 
out  for  this  will  mean  a  saving  in  the  end,  as  nails  and 
screws  are  apt  to  spoil  an  auger  or  bit.  Place  your  level 
against  the  side  of  the  knee  and  when  vertical,  stay  the 
transom  either  to  the  rafters  or  some  other  convenient 
place.  Then  take  your  chalk  line  and  stretch  it  from  the 
center  line  of  the  transom  to  the  center  line  of  the  stem, 
haul  taut,  and  drop  a  plumb-bob  from  same  (see  Fig.  8). 
If  the  point  of  the  bob  touches  the  line  on  the  center  of 
the  keel  you  can  rest  assured  that  the  stem  and  stern  are 
in  line,  but  do  not  be  satisfied  with  one  trial,  try  the 
plumb-bob  at  diiYerent  points  and  if  any  of  them  are  out, 
sight  along  the  side  of  the  keel  and  if  this  is  not  in  a 
straight  line  fore  and  aft  you  must  brace  it  until  it  is 
perfectly  straight  and  the  plumb-bob  must  intersect  the 
center  line  at  any  point.  When  you  have  it  correct,  you 
can  fasten  the  stays  or  braces  strongly,  so  as  to  keep  it 
in  position. 


21 


"Consort,"  Built  from  Mr.  Nock's  Plans  and  Instructions 


PART  II. 

BEFORE  you  begin  to  set  up  your  moulds,  it  would  be 
advisable  to  finish  the  rabbet  line,  as  you  have  only  cut 
the  stem.  The  rabbet  line  is  supposed  to  be  marked  on 
the  keel  on  either  side,  and  inasmuch  as  the  upper  side  of 
the  keel  as  far  aft  as  the  shaft-log  represents  the  inside 
of  the  planking,  it  is  not  a  difficult  matter  to  trim  this 
rabbet  at  intervals,  taking  the  proper  bevel  at  the  different 
stations  from  the  lines  you  have  laid  dovvn.  Then  fair  up 
the  places  between  the  points  you  have  spotted,  or  cut  to 
the  proper  shape.  Where  the  rabbet  line  crosses  the  knee 
and  connects  with  the  rabbet  line  on  the  stem  you  must 
he  very  careful  to  get  it  correct. 

It  would  be  advisable  to  get  two  pieces  of  oak.  i  inch 
thick,  about  6  feet  in  length,  to  fasten  to  each  side  of  the 
shaft-log  and  horn  timber ;  they  should  be  cut  to  the  curve 
of  the  rabbet  line  and  the  proper  bevel,  and  securely 
fastened.  Cut  out  places  in  the  lower  edges  of  these 
pieces  to  receive  the  heels  of  the  frames;  of  course  you 
will  understand  that  these  pieces  are  to  form  a  back 
rabbet  for  the  garboards  or  the  plank  nearest  to  the  keel 
and  should  be  cut  to  the  proper  bevel  of  the  inside  of  the 
plank. 

Having  finished  cutting  the  rabbet  line  along  the  keel, 
etc.,  you  can  now  proceed  to  set  up  the  moulds.  Starting 
with  No.  2,  set  this  in  position  so  that  the  forward  side 
of  the  mould  intersects  with  station  No.  2  on  the  knee. 
Cut  it  over  the  knee  and  set  it  down  so  that  the  lower 
part  of  the  mould  intersects  with  the  back  rabbet ;  measure 
up  from  your  base  line  to  the  L.  W.  L.  on  the  mould  and 
if  it  is  2j^  feet  up,  screw  through  the  block  into  the  knee 
to  hold  the  mould,  plumb  the  face  of  the  mould  and  when 
you  have  leveled  the  cross  pawl  you  can  secure  the  mould 
with  stay-laths.  Moulds  4,  8,  and  12  can  be  set  up  in  the 
same  manner  with  the  forward  sides  of  the  moulds  inter- 
secting with  stations  4,  8,  and  12  on  the  keel,  but  the 
moulds  16,  20,  and  22  are  to  be  set  with  the  after  side  of 
the  moulds  intersecting  with  their  respective  stations. 
Perhaps  it  might  be  well  to  explain  the  reason  for  setting 
them  in  this  manner  and  I  would  call  your  attention  to 
the  fact  that  the  edges  of  the  moulds  are  cut  at  right 
angles  to  the  face  and  the  shape  of  curve  of  the  boat  com- 
mences to  narrow  up  from  station  12  forward  and  from 
station  i6  aft;  therefore  these  moulds  are  so  placed  that 
the  edges  which  the  battens  spring  against  are  in  a  direct 
line  with  the  stations  for  which  the  moulds  were  made. 
When  all  the  moulds  are  properly  stayed,  it  is  a  good  plan 
to  go  carefully  over  them  and  see  that  they  are  perfectly 
plumb  and  the  cross  pawls  level,  and  if  you  stretch  your 
chalk  line  fore  and  aft  in  a  line  with  the  L.  W.  L.  at  the 


stem  and  stern,  it  should  also  intersect  with  the  waterline 
on  each  mould.  If  it  does  you  can  rest  assured  that  your 
moulds  are  set  up  properly.  Fasten  some  stays  from  one 
mould  to  another  and  start  to  bend  and  fasten  on  the  bat- 
tens. For  these  you  will  need  some  nice,  clear  pieces  of 
yellow  pine  or  fir  about  i^xiJ/2  inches;  if  you  get  them 
long  enough  to  extend  from  end  to  end  in  one  piece  so 
much  the  better,  otherwise  you  can  use  shorter  lengths 
and  let  them  lap  by  one  another.  Fasten  the  end  of  one 
of  the  battens  in  the  rabbet  on  stem,  bend  carefully 
around  the  moulds  and  fasten  to  same  with  long  thin 
screws,  putting  washers  under  the  heads  of  same  to  pre- 
vent them  pulling  through  the  battens.  Set  the  first 
batten  so  that  the  lower  edge  touches  the  mark  represent- 
ing the  sheer  line  on  each  mould;  when  you  get  to  the 
transom  you  will  probably  find  that  the  bevel  of  the  cheek 
pieces  does  not  allow  the  battens  to  bear  the  entire  width, 
and  in  that  case  it  must  be  pared  until  the  batten  has  a 
good  bearing,  and  the  same  thing  applies  to  the  other  bat- 
tens where  they  are  fastened  to  the  transom  and  stem; 
you  must  also  see  that  there  is  the  right  bevel  cut  on  the 
edge  of  the  transom.  It  would  be  advisable  to  put  about 
six  battens  on  a  side,  space  them  about  the  same  distance 
apart.  If  you  have  been  careful  in  making  and  setting 
the  moulds,  you  will  find  that  the  battens  touch  each  one 
and  at  the  same  time  have  a  nice  fair  curve. 

The  frames,  or  timbers,  should  be  cut  from  straight 
grained  white  oak;  if  you  can  procure  some  stock  that 
has  not  been  dried  you  will  find  it  much  easier  to  bend 
when  it  has  been  steamed  than  the  seasoned  stock.  Under 
no  conditions  should  you  try  to  use  kiln  dried  stock;  it  is 
almost  an  impossibility  to  bend  it,  and  even  if  you  do 
succeed  in  bending  it  you  will  find  that  it  has  a  natural 
tendency  to  straighten  instead  of  retaining  its  shape.  The 
specifications  call  for  the  frames  to  be  i}ixiys  inches, 
spaced  9  inches  center  to  center.  You  will  need  30 
frames  for  each  side.  If,  however,  the  frames  from  sta- 
tion No.  4  to  the  forward  end  of  the  shaft-log  are  in  one 
piece  from  sheer  to  sheer,  it  will  reduce  the  number  of 
frames.  You  will  need  nineteen  frames  to  run  from 
sheer  to  sheer,  and  as  you  are  liable  to  break  some  of 
them,  it  would  be  advisable  to  get  out  twenty-six.  The 
longest  frame  will  be  about  14  feet,  but  you  had  better 
get  16-foot  lengths;  there  are  twenty-two  short  frames 
required,  and  if  you  are  using  16-foot  stock  you  can  cut 
the  pieces  ia  two  and  use  for  the  short  frames.  Don't 
forget  that  you  may  break  some  of  these  and  that  it  is  a 
good  plan  to  get  out  a  number  of  extra  frames ;  even 
though  you  do  not  break  a  great  number  they  will  not  be 
wasted  as  they  can  be  used  for  the  floors. 


22 


Mark  off  on  the  keel  the  spacing  of  the  frames,  taking 
care  not  to  measure  along  the  top  of  the  keel  but  in  a 
straight  line,  and  it  is  a  good  plan  to  mark  the  position 
of  the  frames  on  the  center  and  upper  batten  as  this  will 
save  considerable  time  when  you  are  bending  in  the 
frames.  Put  some  of  the  frames  in  your'  steam  box  and 
let  them  stay  until  they  are  well  saturated,  and  are  soft 
and  pliable.  It  will  probably  take  from  20  to  40  minutes, 
according  to  the  amount  of  steam  you  have,  and  bear  in 
mind  that  you  do  not  require  dry  steam,  it  cannot  be  too 
wet.  Having  satisfied  yourself  that  the  frames  are  suffi- 
ciently well  steamed  you  can  proceed  to  bend  the  frames 
to  the  battens.  If  you  have  put  in  some  of  the  long 
frarries  you  can  start  anywhere  along  the  widest  part  of 
the  boat,  gradually  spring  the  frame  down  until  it  touches 
the  keel ;  then,  bearing  your  weight  ,Qn  same,  work  up- 
wards on  either  side,  fasten  the  frame  to  the  keel  with 
galvanized  iron  boat  nails  and  clamp  it  to  the  battens,  tak- 
ing due  care  to  see  that  it  fits  closely  to  the  battens  and 
stands  perpendicular.  There  will  be  no  trouble  about  it 
"being  perpendicular  if  you  bring  the  edge  to  the  mark  on 
the  battens.  There  is  no  need  for  me  to  tell  you  that  this 
part  of  the  work  would  be  a  great  deal  easier  if  you  can 
iiave  someone  to  assist  in  bending  and  fastening  the 
clamps;  it  will  also  save  you  considerable  climbing  up  and 
•down,  for  the  best  way  to  bend  these  frames  is  to  get 
inside  of  the  framework  and  bear  your  whole  weight  on 
tbem.  If  you  have  only  a  few  clamjw  you  will  probably 
Tieed  them  for  the  next  frame,  and  if  so  you  can  remove 
the  clamps  one  at  a  time,  and  fasten  the  frame  to  the 
"battens  with  a  wire  nail  through  each  batten.  By  the 
time  you  had  bent  in  a  few  of  the  amidship  frames — 
which  are  the  easiest  to  bend  in — you  will  have  grasped 
the  situation  and  find  that  there  is  nothing  very  difficult 
about  this  part  of  the  work.  The  frames  at  the  forward 
end  will  require  a  little  more  care  as  they  must  be  cut  to 
iit  the  sides  of  the  stem  and  as  thev  do  not  set  square  with 


the  battens,  you  will  have  to  twist  them  so  that  they  fit 
close  to  each  side  of  the  battens.  The  frames  aft  of  the 
forward  end  of  the  shaft-log  will  have  the  heels  fitted  in 
the  mortises  in  the  cheek  pieces  and  fastened  to  same. 
These  frames  will  also  have  to  be  twisted  to  get  the  right 
shape  to  make  them  set  close  to  the  battens  with  width  of 
the  frame,  and  a  large  monkey  wrench  would  be  of  valu- 
able assistance  in  twisting  the  frames.  When  you  have 
finished  framing  you  can  put  in  the  floors.  These  are  to 
be  i%xiyi  inches  and  should  be  about  3  feet  in  length. 
Beginning  at  station  No.  4,  all  the  floors  should  be  on  the 
after  side  of  the  frames  until  you  reach  station  No.  14, 
and  from  this  point  aft  all  floors  should  be  forward  of  the 
frames.  Bend  in  the  floors  and  fasten  to  the  keel,  then 
put  three  fastenings  through  the  side  of  floor  and  frame 
on  either  side  of  the  keel.  For  this  purpose  it  is  a  good 
plan  to  use  a  galvanized  wire  nail,  if  the  fastenings  are  to 
be  of  galvanized-  iron  as  specified  for  this  boat.  The 
floors  aft  of  the  shaft-log  are  not  bent  to  shape,  but  are 
to  be  cut  out  of  iJ/^-inch  oak;  cut  them  so  that  they  fit 
over  the  upper  side  of  the  horn  timber  and  the  shaft-log  and 
shape  the  underside  the  same  as  the  frame;  fasten  to  the 
horn  timber  and  shaft-log  and  also  through  the  sides  of 
the  frames.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  cut  a  piece  out  of  the 
corner  of  these  cut  floors  or  else  bore  holes  through  same 
so  as  to  allow  any  water  that  may  run  in  aft  to  find  its 
way  to  the  lowest  point,  and  now  that  I  have  brought  up 
the  subject  of  limburs,  I  will  call  your  attention  to  the 
fact  that  there  has  been  no  provision  made  for  same  in 
this  boat,  the  frames  and  floors  are  small  and  to  cut  a 
limbur  in  them  that  would  be  of  a  suitable  size  would  ma- 
terially weaken  both  the  floors  and  frames  and  I  would 
suggest  that  you  do  not  cut  in  any  limburs,  but  when  the 
boat  is  planked,  take  some  Portland  cement  and  pour  in 
each  bay  until  flush  with  the  top  of  the  lowest  frame  and 
in  this  manner  you  will  have  a  clear  passage  for  the 
water  and  no  obstructions.     This   is  an  advantage   in   a 


k^ 

r^ 

1 
1 

i    ; 

1 

i 

1 

1                                                     1          1 

!               ;  1 

1 

A 

A    Cross   Braces 

A 

Molf  Section  ot 

FoTu/ord   Broce 


StWt'tOr*       '  + 


Engine  Bed  Details 


23 


motorboat,  for  it  enables  one  not  only  to  clean  it  out 
easily,  but  also  when  the  craft  is  laid  up  in  the  Fall,  it  is 
much  easier  to  remove  the  surplus  oil  and  grease  that  will 
collect  in  the  bottom  of  a  boat  of  this  description,  no 
matter  how  careful  one  may  be.  If,  however,  your  mind 
is  set  on  having  limburs  cut  in  the  frames,  this  is  the  time 
to  do  it,  before  you  start  to  put  on  any  plank,  etc. 

When  you  have  completed  the  frames  you  can  proceed 
to  get  out  the  planking.  Fig.  9  shows  a  half  section  of 
the  boat  at  station  No.  12  and  you  will  note  that  I  have 
shown  thirteen  planks  on  each  side  from  the  garboard  to 
the  sheerstrake.  It' is  not  necessary  to  use  exactly  this 
number  of  planks  to  a  side;  some  builders  prefer  wider 
planks  and  of  course  there  would  not  be  as  many  if  they 
were  wider.  However,  it  is  better  to  use  the  narrow 
plank.  The  garboard,  or  plank  next  to  the  keel,  is  usually 
the  widest  and  the  planks  narrow  from  that  point  to  the 


planks  are  put  on,  I  am  going  to  suggest  that  you  start 
to  put  on  the  sheerstrake  first;  select  your  plank  and 
plane  to  }i  inch  thickness,  and  before  you  can  proceed  to 
mark  the  shape  of  the  sheerstrake,  you  will  have  to  find 
out  the  shape  of  this  plank,  and  in  order  to  do  so,  it  is 
necessary  to  take  a  spiling.  To  do  this  take  a  piece  of 
pine  or  cedar  about  3-16  or  j4  inch  thick,  6  to  7  inches 
wide  and  about  26  feet  in  length,  this  is  called  a  spiling 
batten  or  staff,  and  can  be  made  up  of  two  pieces  fastened 
together  if  these  are  easier  to  obtain  than  one  length. 
Bend  this  naturally  around  the  moulds  below  the  marks 
representing  the  sheerline,  and  with  some  small  wire 
brads  secure  it  in  position,  taking  due  care  that  the  edge 
of  the  staff  does  not  cover  any  of  the  marks  representing 
the  sheerline ;  take  your  jpencil  compasses  and  set  them  to 
such  a  width  that  the  radius  is  slightly  in  excess  of  the 
widest  place  between  the  edge  of  the  staff  and  sheerline. 


Method  of  Bending  Frames 


turn  of  the  bilge  upwards  where  they  should  all  be  of  one 
width  with  the  exception  of  the  sheerstrake,  which  is 
usually  made  wider  than  the  next  four  or  five  planks 
below  it.  The  specifications  eall  for  yellow  pine  planking 
and  if  you  use  this  material,  there  is  no  reason  why  you 
should  not  have  it  in  lengths  of  about  28  feet,  or  long 
enough  to  reach  from  end  to  end  without  any  butts.  If 
you  are  unable  to  obtain  the  requisite  lengths,  the  planks 
can  be  butted,  and  again  if  you  cannot  procure  yellow 
pine  or  fir,  you  could  use  cedar,  cypress  or  white  pine. 
Either  of  these  materials  would  make  good  planking. 
As  it  is  easier  to  put  in  the  engine  bed  before  the  lower 


place  the  point  of  the  compasses  at  the  sheerline  on  each 
mould  and  sweep  in  an  arc  on  the  staff,  mark  the  end  of 
the  staff  where  it  intersects  with  the  rabbet  in  stem,  re- 
move the  staff  and  fasten  it  to  the  plank  you  intend  to 
use  for  one  of  the  sheerstrakes,  and  with  your  compasses 
draw  an  arc,  the  point  of  the  compasses  being  set  on  one 
side  of  the  arc  on  the  staff.  Then  put  the  point  of  the 
compasses  on  the  other  side  of  the  arc  on  staff  and  draw 
another  arc  on  the  plan.  This  arc  will  cross  the  first 
one  drav^n,  and  where  these  two  arcs  intersect  or  cross  is 
the  point  you  must  work  to  when  you  draw  the  line  repre- 
senting the  upper  side  of  the  sheerstrake.     You  must  re- 


24 


Su'iliwg  Bo'Hen 


Fig.  II. — How  Spots  Are  Transferred  to  Plank 


peat  this  process  at  each  place  where  you  have  drawn 
an  arc  on  the  staff,  and  when  you  have  them  all  marked, 
remove  the  staff,  select  a  good  batten  and  bend  -to  the  re- 
quired shape  so  that  a  line  drawn  along  the  edge  of  same 
will  cut  through  each  of  the  arcs  you  have  drawn  where 
they  intersect.  Fig.  lo  will  help  to  explain  this  a  trifle 
more  clearly,  and  Fig.  ii  shows  the  staff  fastened  to  the 
plank  and  the  arcs  marked  on»  same  and  also  the  plank. 
To  obtain  the  shape  of  the  lower  edge  of  the  sheerstrake 
you  can  mark  at  the  center  the  extreme  width,  which  I 
have  figured  at  5  inches,  then  mark  the  width  at  each  end, 
bend  a  good  strong  batten  to  these  points  until  you  have 
a  fair  line  and  cut  to  same.  Bear  in  mind  that  you  need 
two  of  these  pieces  and  therefore  it  is  advisable  to  saw 
out  another  one  for  the  opposite  side  before  you  begin 
'-to  fasten  it  to  the  frames.  The  sheerline  as  shown  on 
the  plans  represents  the  height  to  the  top  of  the  deck  and 
though  this  is  short,  it  should  be  taken  into  consideration. 
The  deck  plank  is  to  be  %  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  there- 
fore the  sheerstrake  should  be  7/%  of  an  inch  below  the 
sheerline  marked  on  the  moulds.  Fit  the  forward  end  to 
the  rabbet  on  the  stem  and  fasten  it,  taking  due  care  that 
the  upper  edge  touches  the  marks  ^  of  an  inch  below 
the  sheerline;  hold  it  in  position  with  clamps  and  fasten 
to  the  frames,  countersinking  for  the  nail  heads  so  as  to 
allow  of  their  being  covered  with  7-16  inch  diameter  wood 
plugs.  The  after  end  must  be  carefully  cut  to  fit  the 
bevel  of  the  transom  and  be  well  fastened  to  the  cheek 
pieces  on  same.  It  is  a  good  plan  for  the  amateur  to 
mark  on  the  edges  of  the  moulds  or  frames  the  width  of 
the  planks.  Fig.  9  shows  a  half  section  at  station  No.  12 
and  you  will  note  that  there  are  thirteen  planks  to  a  side 
including  the  sheerstrake  and  garboard;  the  upper 
strakes,  representing  the  raised  sheer,  I  have  not  taken 
into  consideration  as  you  are  working  from  the  sheerline. 
Starting  from  the  sheerline  on  the  mould  representing 
station  No.  12,  make  a  mark  %  of  an  inch  below  same, 


then  another  one  5  inches  below  that.  This  will  repre- 
sent the  sheerstrake.  Now  start  at  the  keel  and  mark  8 
inches  up,  from  this  mark  7  inches  upwards,  and  another 
6  inches,  and  the  remaining  spaces  you  can  divide  equally 
into  nine  spaces.  These  will  represent  the  greatest  widths 
of  the  planks,  and  you  should  proceed  to  mark  on  the  stem 
the  height  of  the  upper  edge  of  the  garboard  and  the 
lower  edge  of  the  sheerstrake  which  should  be  consider- 
ably narrower  at  this  end  than  at  station  No.  12.  The 
transom  should  be  marked  in  a  similar  manner  and  then, 
if  you  desire,  you  can  mark  out  on  each  mould  the  widths 
of  the  planks;  of  course  the  garboard  and  the  next  two 
strakes  will  be  wider  in  proportion  than  the  others,  but 
it  is  a  simple  matter  to  figure  this  out  and  have  a  good 
curve  to  all  the  planks. 

The  professional  builder  does  not  always  lay  out  his 
plank  in  this  manner,  and  some  of  you  may  know  a  much 
better  method ;  this  article,  however,  is  not  written  for  the 
practical  boat  builder,  but  for  the  amateur.  Inasmuch  as 
you  are  not  going  to  fit  in  the  garboards  at  present  on  ac- 
count of  the  engine  bed,  we  can  at  least  work  to  the  width 
laid  out  for  the  garboards  and  other  plank  and  proceed  to 
get  out  the  next  plank  below  the  sheerstrake.  You  can 
take  a  spiling  from  the  lower  edge  of  the  sheerstrake  in  a 
similar  manner  to  the  spiling  of  the  sheerstrake,  except 
that  in  this  case  you  work  from  the  lower  edge  of  the 
sheerstrake  in  sweeping  in  the  arcs  on  the  staff.  Be  sure 
to  make  some  marks  on  the  sheerstrake  and  staff  so  that 
when  you  have  cut  out  your  plank  you  cam  bring  them  to 
the  same  position  as  you  had  when  you  took  the  spiling. 
Mark  the  widths  of  this  plank  at  intervals,  bend  a  batten 
to  it,  draw  a  fair  curve  through  these  points  and  you  have 
a  line  reoresenting  the  lower  edge  of  this  plank.  Cut  out 
two  planks  to  this  shape.  If  you  take  this  plank  and  bend 
around  the  moulds  in  order  to  see  that  it  fits,  you  will 
most  probably  find  that  the  seam  is  open  quite  wide  in 
the  center  of  the  boat  but  it  closes  at  the  stem  and  "the 


A  •■  /Moulds 


Fig.  10. — Shape  of  Spiling  fpr  Plank  and  Garboard 


25 


or  p»- 

is  aot  aeoessuy  at 

lo  f«  ia  dbe  Ci«|iM 

jhTfrs.  aad  liK  fact  dot 

Meadk  siAe  dnrii 

he  9BQf  ttn  cMcIiJ  is 
il  is  ahn^s  htst  to  i 


ritB< 


'fee 

it  . 
fcr  F 


ae  a 


or  tKistBd.  Fa 

tdhe  laiUB  vitti  slajlalks  aad  aCttr  yos 

ttttt  ag  >iMi  has  MK 

SB  lew^  wtA  jva  cas  procma  to  pal  i& 


tothc 
of  oak 


«he 

Cdoiittte 

For  tihese  jfoo  mM  meed  two 

3  mclKS  to  tfcaiii  ss,.,  aknt  5  feet  loae  >■<  11 

TW  ccator  ine  of  dK  slafit  aril  he  4Eree^  over  Ike  OBtocr 

iae  of  dK  hedl.  a^  as  }«a  have  aheadlf  hored  tike  skaft 

of  wood  acrass  d^  hale  to  Ae  stem  fast,  cat  a  aotch 

v9  he  £re£djp  ia  dK  ocaAer  of  dK  hol^  fas- 
of  voy  stra^^  §1 

lead  the  odxr  csn  Ihnwigh  dK  smit 
33lnr.    Cany  il  lw*aid  ahaaft  ay  to  stodm  No.  la;  ~ 
:.  pMoe  of  aioad  aooss  Ae  fcatoes  at  sock  a  I     _ 

tagjhi  over  dK  top  of  smbc  is  diiw.lly 
wi&  Ike  joM  ia  dK  sUe  of  dtt  skaft4oe.    H  f 

~  nt  comedy  23k  fint  ti^K^  3paa  v3  kzvc  to  ivse 

Jk  futaaid  cod  iHflflyoa  aore  stoe  nat  it  b  ^toto 

~    Iso  ia  fiae  vidk  dK  cxaaer  liae  of  kecL    Tke 

Ae  oeator  Bae  of  Ite  skxft  aad  yoar 

he  tafaea  feoto  it.    Fiist  asoeitoia  dK 

?  ig»c  eapbe  »kere  >  ihiiJd  west  aa  tike 

-aTfeid  oto  dK  «staace  €rato  <ke 

ft  to  dK  aadcfside  of  ikc^hasc  of 

^^ofdKha5ehehwffdKi 

teaiers.    SSeasare  o 
-flxxiktf  dKwi*] 
r^  aad  anke  a 


(F» 


^«l  k  tol 


«  B 


36 


A  i(  'B    Hcmjii-ood  Wed^ts. 


Fig.  13 


temporarily.  Now  take  your  level  and  bring  it  up  so  that 
it  just  touches  the  under  side  of  the  line,  see  that  it  is 
horizontal  and  make  a  mark  on  one  end  of  this  template; 
repeat  the  operation  at  the  opposite  end,  draw  a  line 
through  the  point,  and  you  have  the  line  of  the  center  of 
the  shaft  marked  on  same. 

You  can  now  proceed  to  get  out  the  two  bearers,  add- 
ing to  the  size  marked  on  the  template  the  thickness  of 
the  frames,  or  better  still,  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  excess 
of  same,  to  allow  for  trimming,  or,  if  you  prefer,  you  can 
get  out  a  template  to  fit  exactly  over  the  frames  and 
floors  and  mark  the  shape  of  these  bearers  from  same. 
It  is  simply  a  matter  of  choice  which  method  you  use.  If 
you  cut  the  underside  of  the  bearers  to  the  shape  of  the 
template,  set  in  position,  mark  both  sides  with  the  com- 
passes in  order  to  get  the  height  of  the  frames  on  the 
inside  and  outside,  then  mark  the  frames  and  floors,  re- 
move the  bearer,  cut  to  shape,  and  see  that  it  fits  properly ; 
repeat  this  operation  on  the  piece  of  stock  for  the  other 
bearer,  set  in  position,  clamp  it  so  as  to  keep  it  from 
moving  and  ascertain  that  it  fits  properly  and  is  in  line 
both  fore  and  aft  and  also  in  a  vertical  position.  If  there 
is  any  part  of  these  bearers  that  extend  below  the  under 
side  of  the  frames,  you  can  easily  remove  the  superfluous 
stock  when  you  have  the  bearers  fastened  in,  before  you 
start  to  plank.  The  cross  logs  are  2^  inches  thick,  and 
for  these  you  will  need  one  piece  of  oak  6  feet  long  and 
I  foot  wide,  and  another  piece  5  feet  long  and  about  8 
inches  wide;  set  these  pieces  on  the  keel  and  the  places 
indicated  on  the  plans,  or  to  suit  the  base  of  your  engine 
if  it  is  a  dififerent  make  or  style,  fasten  them  temporarily 
and  mark  out  the  shape  of  the  underside  of  same  on  the 
forward  and  after  sides;  if  you  do  this  properly  yoH  can 
cut  to  the  correct  bevel  the  first  time,  and  they  will  fit 
close  to  the  inside  of  the  plank  where  this  part  of  the  boat 
is  planked.  Cut  the  forward  pieces  to  a  depth  of  5  inches 
to  allow  the  fore  and  aft  bearers  to  fit  into  same  for  that 
depth,  fasten  them  securely  to  the  keel,  and  then  put  in 
the  fore  and  aft  beai-ers,  cutting  them  over  the  cross  logs, 
securely  bolt  to  same,  and  fasten  up  through  the  under 
side  of  the  frames  into  the  bearers.  If  the  under  side  of 
the  flange  of  the  engine  bed  is  below  the  center  line  of  the 
shaft  a  certain  distance,  the  bearers  will  have  to  be  cut 
away  that  amount  in  order  to  have  the  shaft  in  line,  and 
if  the  under  side  of  the  flange  is  above  the  center  line  of 
the  shaft,  the  bearers  will  have  to  be  raised;  this  should 
be  ascertained  before  the  upper  sides  of  the  bearers  are 
finished. 


One  MALr  SccTiow  AT  Station  N»  \t 


Fig.  9 


*-  ''*  _* . 


Another  View  of  "Consort" 


PART  III  (Conclusion) 

The  keelson  can  now  be  gotten  out  and  fastened  in  posi- 
tion. For  this  you  will  require  a  piece  of  oak,  or  yellow 
pine,  2x4  inches,  12  feet  in  length.  Trim  the  forward 
end  so  that  it  fits  the  scarf  in  the  stem,  and  bend  to  the 
frames.  If  any  of  the  frames  at  the  forward  end  have  a 
tendency  to  keep  the  keelson  from  bearing  tight  on  the 
frames  and  floors  directly  over  the  keel,  you  will  have  to 
trim  the  keelson  and  when  you  are  satisfied  that  it  fits 
properly,  proceed  to  fasten  it,  using  through  fastenings 
at  the  forward  end  and  at  each  alternate  floor. 

The  bilge  clamps  can  be  fitted  and  fastened  to  the  frames 
before  the  planking  is  fitted,  and  it  would  be  as  well  to  do 
this  part  next.  The  specifications  call  for  the  bilge 
clamps  to  be  of  yellow  pine  i^  x  4  inches  amidships, 
tapered  to  i>4  x  3J4  inches  at  the  ends.  This  taper 
should  be  about  7  feet  in  length.  Select  some  straight 
grained  piece  of  stock  and  have  it  milled  to  the  re- 
quired dimensions,  and  finish  with  a  hand  smooth.  Mark 
on  the  center  frames  the  location  of  the  bilge  or  clamp 
on  either  side,  also  the  stem  and  stern,  bend  the  bilge 
clamp  down  in  the  center  and  fasten  with  a  screw  clamp 
and  then  work  the  ends  to  the  required  position,  or  as  a 
good  bearing  on  the  frames,  bore  and  fasten  to  the  frames, 
putting  one  fastening  through  each  frame  at  the  upper 
and  lower  edges  of  the  clamp.  These  fastenings  should 
be  either  riveted  or  clinched  Over  the  frames.  Having 
fastened  in  the  two  bilge  clamps,  you  can  continue  your 
planking  and  I  would  suggest  getting  out  the  garboards 
first.  You  will  proceed  in  a  manner  somewhat  similar  to 
getting  out  the  sheerstrake,  but  owing  to  the  fact  that  this 
is  more  difficult,  I  will  explain  it  so  that  you  can  proceed 
without  any  trouble. 

Take  a  piece  of  pine  or  cedar  about  the  same  dimen- 
sions as  your  spiling  batten  or  staff,  but  don't  use  that  one 
as  you  will  need  it  for  the  balance  of  the  planking;  tack 
this  over  the  frames  close  to  the  rabbet  in  the  keel,  take 
your  compasses,  and  setting  them  to  a  radius  of  about  one- 
quarter  of  an  inch  mbre  than  the  widest  place  between 
the  rabbet  and  the  edge  of  the  staff,  strike  in  a  number 
of  arcs  at  intervals  of  about  one  foot  apart  until  you  get 
to  the  short  turn  at  the  stem,  where  the  marks  should  be 
quite  close  in  order  to  get  the  shape  more  accurately. 
Make  some  marks  on  the  keel  and  batten  in  order  to  en- 
able you  to  get  the  batten  back  in  the  same  position  again. 
Fig.  10  shows  the  staff  in  position  with  marks  showing 
the  spiling,  and  if  these  marks  are  transferred  to  the  piece 
of  plank  to  be  used  for  the  garboards  in  the  same  manner 
as  suggested  for  the  sheerstrake,  there  will  be  no  difficulty 
in  making  them  fit,  but  it  may  save  you  some  lumber  as 
well  as  considerable  labor  if  you  first  cut  the  spiling  bat- 


ten to  the  mark  you  have  made,  pare  and  trim  until  it  fits 
the  rabbet  perfectly,  and  then  it  is  no  trouble  to  mark 
around  same  with  a  pencil,  and  you  have  the  shape  of  the 
lower  edge  of  one  of  the  garboards.  The  shape  of  the 
other  edge  is  obtained  in  the  same  manner  as  the  lower 
edge  of  the  sheerstrake,  mark  the  greatest  width,  the 
width  at  the  forward  and  after  ends,  and  a  couple  of  in- 
tervening places  if  you  so  desire,  bend  a  batten  to  same, 
strike  a  fair  curve  and  cut  to  shape. 

You  will  have  to  exercise  considerable  care  in  fitting 
the  lower  edge  to  the  rabbet,  chalk  the  inside  of  the  rabbet, 
and  when  you  have  clamped  the  garboard  in  position,  if 
there  are  any  places  where  it  needs  trimming  to  make  a 
good  fit,  don't  slight  it,  but  spend  time  enough  to  have  it 
fit  all  along  the  rabbet.  Mark  on  a  board  a  duplicate  of 
the  plank,  cut  and  fit  as  carefully  as  the  first  one  and, 
when  they  are  ready,  steam  them  well  and  start  to  fasten 
one  of  them,  beginning  at  the  stem.  Drive  the  plank  tight 
into  the  rabbet,  bore  a  hole  Ji  or  7/16  inch  diameter,  to 
take  the  wood  plug  to  cover  the  head  of  the  fastening. 
This  should  not  be  over  J4  inch  deep;  then  bore  a  hole  a 
trifle  smaller  than  the  nail  through  the  planking  into  the 
stem,  and  fasten  with  galvanized  boat  nails.  The  fasten- 
ings should  be  about  ij4  inches  apart  where  the  garboard 
connects  with  the  stem  and  in  the  keel  they  should  be 
about  2/'i  inches  apart.  There  should  be  three  fastenings 
in  the  width  of  the  plank  at  each  frame  and  floor,  two  of 
the  fastenings  to  be  through  the  frame  and  one  through 
the  floor,  unless  you  make  the  after  end  very  narrow,  and 
in  that  case  you  would  not  need  more  than  two  fastenings 
at  each  frame  and  floor. 

When  you  have  finished  fastening  the  garboards,  you 
can  proceed  to  get  out  the  next  plank;  cut  to  shape  and 
fasten  to  the  frames,  etc.  Before  you  continue  to  plank 
any  further,  I  must  call  your  attention  to  the  planks  which 
are  to  be  used  around  the  turn  of  the  bilge.  These  planks 
should  be  cut  out  of  stock  that  is  thick  enough  to  allow 
of  the  inside  being  coped  or  planed  hollow  to  fit  close  to 
the  frames.  When  you  have  removed  sufficient  of  the 
inside  of  the  plank  to  admit  of  its  fitting  closely  to  the 
frames,  set  your  gfauge  to  ^  inch  and  run  a  score  along 
the  edges  of  the  plank,  then  plane  to  this  line,  but  not  for 
the  entire  width  of  the  plank,  as  you  can  easily  plane  this 
when  you  finish  the  outside  of  the  planking. 

You  can  now  cut  out  and  fasten  in  position  the  next 
five  strakes,  and  when  you  have  finished  with  them  yott 
will  be  ready  for  the  shutter,  for  such  is  the  name  given 
to  the  last  plank  to  be  fitted.  It  is  necessary  to  take  a 
spiling  on  both  sides  for  this  plank,  and  be  sure  to  get  it 
large  enough.  Having  satisfied  yourself  that  it  is  the 
required  shape,  fit  the  forward  end  to  the  rabbet  in  stem 


28 


and  drive  it  in  place,  fasten  to  the  stem  and  continue  to 
drive  it  in  till  it  fits  close  to  the  frames  and  fasten  to 
same  as  fast  as  you  drive  it  in  place,  for  in  this  manner 
you  will  prevent  it  from  springing  out  when  driving.    The 


How  Chain  Clamp  Is  Used 

cutting  of  the  after  end  of  the  plank  to  fit  the  rabbet  in 
the  transom  must  be  done  before  the  fastenings  are  put 
in  the  last  few  frames;  finish  fastening  in  frames  and 
transom  and  fit  the  shutter  on  the  opposite  side.  A  well- 
fitting  shutter  tends  to  tighten  up" all  the  planking,  and  if 
you  have  kept  the  widths  of  the  planks  about  equal,  it  is 
hard  to  distinguish  the  shutter  from  the  other  planks. 

The  planking  of  the  raised  sheer  can  now  be  gotten  out 
and  fastened  in  position,  and  as  I  have  already  explained 
how  to  obtain  the  shape  of  the  planks,  there  is  no  need 
for  me  to  explain  the  operation  as  there  are  but  three 
planks  to  be  gotten  out  for  either  side  of  the  raised  sheer. 
I  have  figured  that  all  the  planking  you  will  use  will  be 
full  length,  but  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  unable  to 
procure  the  long  lengths  or  prefer  the  shorter  planks,  I 
would 'state  that  the  method  of  planking  would  be  the 
same,  the  only  difference  is  that  some  of  the  planks  would 
be  in  t.wo  or  more  pieces.  All  that  is  necessary  is  to  make 
the  butts  come  between  the  frames  and  fasten  them  se- 
curely. Fig.  i6  shows  the  usual  method  of  fastening  a 
butt.  Tbp  butt  block  should  be  of  oak  about  i  inch  thick 
and  of  sutficient  width  to  lap  over  the  edge  of  the  plank 
on  either  side  J^  of  an  inch.  The  forward  and  after  ends 
of  these  blocks  should  be  chamfered  on  the  side  nearest 
to  the  inside  of  the  plank  so  as  to  allow  any  water,  that 
might  leak  in  to  run  through,  instead  of  collecting  on  top 
of  the  block. 

Fit  all  blocks  tight  between  the  frames,  and  if  properly 
■fastened,  the  plank  is  stronger  at  this  point  than  elsewhere. 
If  you  have  butts  in  the  planking,  bear  in  mind  the  neces- 
sity for  distributing  same.     Do  not  make  one  butt  come 


directly  over  the  top  of  another,  but  break  all  joints  by 
placing  at  least  three  planks  between,  if  the  butt  is  between 
the  same  frames. 

When  you  have  finished  planking  the  boat,  take  a  jack 
plane  and  roughly  plane  the  outside,  then  the  boat  is  ready 
lor  calking.  It  is  much  b^^ter  to  have  this  done  by  a  man 
who  makes  a  business  of  it,  as  there  is  a  great  deal  more 
in  calking  a  boat  than  merely  driving  in  cotton.  If  you 
desire  to  try  your  hand  at  this,  you  should  procure  some 
good  spun  cotton.  You  will  also  need  some  calking  irons 
and  a  mallet — one  of  these  irons  will  be  needed  for  open- 
ing the  seams  and  the  other  for  driving  in  the  cotton.  Look 
carefully  over  the  seam  you  intend  to  calk,  and  if  you  de- 
cide that  it  is  open  enough  to  drive,  in  the  cotton,  select  a 
piece  and  start  it  in  with  the  iron,  using  the  calking  mallet 
to  strike  the  iron.  Do  not  stretch  out  the  cotton  and  drive 
it  in,  but  bring  it  back  a  trifle,  then  drive;  keep  on  doing 
this — it  makes  a  lap  and  thus  makes  a  much  thicker  bunch 
to  drive  in.  Set  it  down  hard  and  keep  it  about  J4  of  an 
inch  below  the  surface.  Experience  will  help  you  more 
than  any  explanation  I  can  give  you,  and  you  will  find  as 
you  progress  just  how  much  cotton  to  put  in  the  seams, 
and  how  hard  to  drive  it.  If  you  want  to  find  out  just  how 
easy,  or  how  difficult,  it  is  to  calk  a  boat,  just  watch  some 
of  the  men  calking  a  small  yacht  or  vessel,  then  go  back 
and  try  it.  When  you  have  the  hull  calked,  the  seams 
should  be  painted  with  a  thick  lead  paint;  a  long  narrow 
brush  with  short  bristles,  known  as  a  seaming  brush,  is  the 
best  thing  to  use  to  run  the  paint  in  the  seams.  This  paint- 
ing of  the  seams  makes  them  hold  the  putty  and  also  form 
a  ridge  which  prevents  the  cotton  from  working  out,  as  it 
would  have  a  tendency  to  do  when  there  is  much  jarring 
on  the  boat  such  as  would  be  occasioned  by  riveting  in  the 
deck  clamps,  etc. 

The  deck  clamps  and  raised  deck  clamps  can  now  be 
gotten  out  and  fastened  in  position.  The  clamp  is  to  be 
of  yellow  pine,  ij4  x  4  inches,  the  upper  and  lower  edges 
to  be  chamfered  from  the  forward  end  to  the  bulkhead 
at  the  after  end  of  the  cabin.  Set  the  upper  edge  of^this 
clamp  the  same  height  as  shown  on  the  construction'plan 
and  fasten  to  the  frames.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  fasten 
through  the  sheerstrake,  frame  and  clamp,  at  each  frame, 
petting  these  through  fastenings  alternately  at  the  upper 
and  lower  edges.  The  raised  deck  clamp  is  to  be  of  yellow 
pine  1)4  X  3>4  inches.    Chamfer  the  lower  edge  and  fasten 


in  position.  Take  care  to  have  the  upper  edge  of  the  clamp 
at  the  correct  height  for  the  entire  length,  and  when  you 
have"  put  in  a  few  fastenings  it  is  advisable  to  ascertain 
that  the   upper  edges  are   true,  and  the  same   height  on 


29 


^ 


PROPOSED  CABIN  PLAN  FOR  THE  NOCK  25  FT.  CABIN  CRUISER 


80 


both  sides  of  the  hull,  and  if  so,  you  can  finish  fastening 
same,  adopting  the  same  method  of  through  fastening  as 
suggested  for  the  clamp  at  the  normal  sheer. 

If  you  intend  to  finish  the  exterior  of  the  hull  before 
doing  any  work  on  the  interior,  you  can  proceed  to  get 
out  the  two  knees  for  the  stern;  these  are  to  be  cut  from 
oak  plank  i^  inches  in  thickness.  Fit  a  piece  of  oak 
i%xi^yi  inches  across  the  inside  of  the  transom  at  such  a 
height  as  to  catch  the  ends  of  the  deck  plank,  and  then 
fasten  the  knees  in  position,  securing  same  to  the  clamp, 
sheerstrake  and  transom. 

You  will  note  that  there  are  but  three  deck  beams  shown 
on  the  plan;  these  are  to  be  of  oak,  sided  ij4  inches, 
moulded  ij4  inches,  and  cut  with  a  crown  of  i^  inches 
in  5  feet.  Mortise  the  ends  of  the  two  forward  frames 
into  the  clamp  and  fasten  to  same.  The  after  beam  is 
to  be  halved  into  the  knees  and  fastened.  Between  the 
two  after  beams  you  can  fasten  a  piece  of  oak  8  inches 
wide  and  i^i  inches  thick  to  receive  the  lower  end  of  the 
towing  post  or  bitt,  and  then  proceed  to  plank  the  deck. 
You  will  need  some  nice,  clear  white  pine  for  this  plank, 
and  unless  you  can  obtain  the  pine  already  cut  with  the 
edge  of  the  grain  on  the  flat  side  of  the  plank  it  will  be 
best  to  purchase  2-inch  plank  and  have  it  sawed  and 
planed  to  the  required  thickness.  The  edges  should  be 
planed  so  as  to  have  a  bevel  of  1-16  inch  on  each  edge, 
and  when  these  planks  are  placed  edge  to  edge  it  will 
show  a  seam  of  about  %  inch  iti  width.  Draw  a  line 
through  the  center  of  the  beams,  and  after  cutting  the  end 
of  one  of  the  pieces  of  plank  to  fit  the  transom,  bring 
the  edge  of  the  plank  to  the  line  and  fasten.  Add  planks 
on  either  side  until  you  have  the  entire  deck  covered,  tak- 
ing due  care  to  draw  them  close  together.  Calk  the  seams, 
and  pay  them  with  thick  lead  paint.  The  filling  of  the 
seams  with  white  lead  putty  and  planing  the  deck  can  bet- 
ter be  finished  when  you  have  the  boat  nearer  completion. 

Now  start  at  the  opposite  end  and  fit  in  at  the  stem 
an  oak  breast  hook  or  knee,  fasten  to  the  clamps,  sheer- 
strake and  stem.  The  plans  show  seventeen  beams  for 
the  raised  deck;  these  should  be  of  oak,  sided  Ij4  inches, 
moulded  i^  inches.  They  can  be  either  cut  with  a  crown 
of  S  inches  in  7  feet  or  steam  bent  to  that  shape.  The 
lower  corners  can  be  chamfered  or  rounded,  and  the 
beams  finished  smooth.  The  next  thing  is  to  make  a 
strong  back  to  set  these  beams  on,  and  for  this  you  can 
take  a  piece  of  board  about  J-i  inch  thick  and  about  8 
to  12  inches  wide;  set  this  so  that  the  upper  edge  is  the 
height  of  the  under  side  of  the  beams,  fasten  both  ends 
securely  and  proceed  to  cut  the  ends  of  the  beams  into  the 
clamp,  fasten  to  same  and  to  the  heads  of  frames.  Cut 
out  the  covering  boards,  which  are  to  be  %  inch  thick 
and  3  inches  wide,  spring  around  the  edge  of  the  sheer 
and  fasten  to  the  beams  and  sheerstrake.  Mark  a  center 
line  on  the  beams  and  proceed  to  lay  the  plank,  which  is 
to  be  of  cypress  %  inch  thick,  3  inches  wide.  Fasten 
them  from  above  into  the  beams  and  also  toenail,  as  this 
will  tend  to  draw  the  planks  tight  and  make  them  close  on 
the  under  side.  Plane  the  upper  side  smooth  and  then  fit 
in  the  grub  beam,  which  is  to  be  of  oak  2x6  inches,  the 
upper  edge  of  which  is  to  be  rabbeted  to  receive  the  stav- 
ing at  the  after  end  of  the  house.  This  beam  should  be 
fastened  very  securely,  as  it  will  prevent  the  hull  from 
spreading.  The  beams  for  the  cockpit  deck  can  be  gotten 
out;  these  are  to  be  of  oak,  sided  lyi  inches,  moulded 
iJ4  inches,  spaced  18  inches  or  fastened  to  each  alternate 
frame.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  nail  a  strip  of  yellow  pine  or 
oak  about  1x2  inches  to  the  frames  at  such  a  height  that 
the  ends  of  the  beams  will  rest  on  same,  and  the  beams 
should  be  fastened  to  this  stfip  as  well  as  to  the  frames. 
Set  stanchions  under  the  centers  of  the  beams  to  make 
them  more  rigid  and  to  help  support  the  cockpit  deck. 
Lay  the  cockpit  deck  plank  in  strips  of  pine  the  same 
width  and  thickness  as  for  the  deck  at  the  after  end  of 
the  boat.      If  you   intend  to  finish  this  deck   in  natural 


wood  varnished,  you  will  have  to  calk  the  seams  and  fill 
them  with  white  lead  putty  or  marine  glue,  if  you  prefer 
that  material.  Provided  you  intend  covering  the  cock- 
pit deck  with  canvas,  the  plank  can  be  of  either  pine  or 
cypress;  tongued  and  grooved  stock  is  better  for  this 
purpose  than  the  square  edged  material  if  it  is  not  to  be 
calked.  When  you  have  finished  laying  the  deck  you  can 
proceed  to  cut  out  the  rabbeted  pieces  of  oak.  The  curve 
of  the  staving  is  so  slight  that  this  strip  can  be  worked 
out  of  straight  stock  and  sprung  to  shape.  Twenty  feet 
in  length  will  make  enough  for  the  two  sides  and  across 


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Detail   Drawing    of   Rudder 


the  front  of  the  seat.  Take  your  spirit  level  and  set  it 
against  the  inside  of  the  clamp,  ascertain  that  it  is  phimb, 
then  make  a  mark  on  the  cockpit  deck  plank ;  continue 
doing  this  at  intervals  on  both  sides  until  you  have  a 
sufficient  number  of  points  to  strike  a  line  through  with 
a  batten  and  make  a  curve  that  corresponds  exactly  to 
the  inside  of  the  clamp.  The  line  thus  marked  shows  the 
outside  of  the  staving,  and  as  the  pieces  of  oak  you  have 
rabbeted  to  receive  the  planking  are  2  inches  wide,  you 
will  have  to  set  the  outside  of  this  piece  of  oak  i]/i  inches 
closer  to  the  frames,  as  the  staving  is  %  inch  thick,  and 
you  want  to  set  the  staving  perpendicular.  If  the  deck 
is  covered  with  canvas,  simply  lay  the  oak  pieces  in  thick 


31 


white  lead  and  fasten  closely  to  make  it  watertight,  but 
if  you  intend  to  have  the  deck  bright,  it  would  be  ad- 
visable to  set  the  oak  pieces  on  a  strip  of  calking  cotton 
as  well  as  using  white  lead.  When  you  have  set  the'se 
oak  pieces  you  can  proceed  to  set  up  the  cockpit  staving, 
which  is  to  be  of  cypress  J-i  inch  thick,  2  inches  wide, 
tongued  and  grooved,  and  the  edges  bevelled  on  the  in- 
side or  face.  Cut  the  lower  ends  so  that  they  fit  the 
oak  pieces,  set  in  white  lead  and  fasten  to  same,  and  also 
fasten  to  the  clamp.  Leave  the  upper  ends  of  these 
pieces  of  staving  longer  than  you  really  require,  as  you 
can  cut  them  off  to  a  fair  line  when  you  have  finished  the 
staving.  The  staving  at  the  after  end  of  the  cabin  being  of 
the  same  material  can  also  be  set  in  position.  The  lower 
ends  are  to,  set  into  a  rabbet  on  the  grub  beam,  and  the 
upper  ends  are  to  be  fitted  to  the  under  side  of  the  raised 
deck  plank,  where  it  projects  over  the  beam,  and  are  to 
be  fastened  to  the  raised  deck  beam.  A  filler  piece  of 
spruce  of  some  such  material  i  inch  thick  and  2^  inches 
wide  can  be  fitted  in  between  the  upper  edge  of  the  stav- 
ing and  the  inside  of  the  planking.  The  top  of  same  is 
to  be  the  same  height  as  the  under  side  of  the  cap,  and 
when  you  have  fastened  in  these  pieces  securely  you  can 
proceed  to  get  out  the  cap.  The  specifications- call  for 
the  cap  to  be  of  oak  1%  inches  thick,  5  inches  wide;  this 
will  allow  for  yi  an  inch  overlap  on  the  outside  of  the 
planking  and  afeo  the  same  amount  on  the  staving.  Round 
these  edges  and  proceed  to  fasten  in  position.  You  will 
most  probably  find  that  you  cannot  bend  this  piece  of  oak 
to  the  proper  shape  without  steaming  it,  and  therefore  it 
would  be  advisable  to  steam  it  in  the  first  place.  Put  in 
plenty  of  fastenings,  the  filler  piece  and  the  edges  of 
the  planking  affording  good  places  to  fasten  to.  The  heads 
of  the  fastenings  should  be  counter  sunk  and  covered  with 
wood  plugs,  as  should  all  the  heads  of  the  large  fasten- 
ings in  any  part  that  is  to  be  finished  bright. 

The  coaming  for  the  cockpit  hatch  over  the  engine  is  to 
be  of  oak;  work  this  out  to  shape  as  per  plans,  allowing 
for  a  waterway  between  the  forward  end  and  the  grub 
beam,  and  fasten  to  the  deck  and  beams.  Rabbet  a  piece 
of  oak  1J/2X2  inches  to  fit  the  upper  edge  of  the  coaming; 
this  piece  is  to  be  used  for  the  frame  of  the  hatch.  Halve 
the  corners  together  and  proceed  to  cover  with  %x2-inch 
white  pine  strips  as  you  did  with  the  cockpit  deck;  if  you 
desire  to  finish  bright,  calk  and  fill  the  seams  and  put  a 
small  oak  ribbon  around  the  outside  to  form  a  finish  and 
cover  the  wood  ends.  If  covered  with  canvas  this  ribbon 
should  cover  the  fastenings. 

The  seat  at  the  after  end  of  the  cockpit  is  not  com- 
pleted, and  you  can  finish  same  before  proceeding  with 
the  cabin.  The  specifications  call  for  the  top  of  this  seat 
and  the  lazy  back  to  be  of  mahogany,  but  it  is  simply  a 
matter  of  choice  what  you  use ;  mahogany  stands  the 
weather  and  warps  but  little,  but  I  have  seen  some  very 
fine  looking  seats  and  backboards  made  of  cypress.  Al- 
low for  part  of  the  top  of  this  seat  to  open,  as  there  is 
valuable  space  under  it  that  can  be  used  for  storage,  and 
you  might  have  to  get  under  the  after  deck  at  some  time 
or  another  to  renew  the  tiller  rope,  etc.  Set  in  the  lead 
scuppers  at  the  after  corners  of  the  cockpit,  and  it  is 
practically  completed.  These  scuppers  should  be  about 
1%  inches  inside  diameter,  the  flange  on  the  upper  side 
should  be  set  flush  with  the  deck  and  the  lower  end  of 
scuppers  flush  with  planking.  It  will  be  necessary  to  cut 
a  rabbet  in  plank  to  receive  the  flange.  The  fastenings 
in  the  lead  scuppers  should  be  of  copper. 

The  towpost  and  forward  bitts  can  be  gotten  out  and 
fitted.  These  are  to  be  of  oak  or  locust  4x4  inches  and 
12  inches  long.  The  part  that  fits  the  deck  is  to  be  trimmed 
to'3j5x3j^  inches;  a  hole  is  to  be  cut  through  same,  and 
they  arc  to  be  driven  in  position  and  secured  on  the 
under  side  with  two  oak  or  locust  wedges.  The  towpost 
can  be  set  up,  but  the  forward  bitt  cannot  be  fastened 
in  until  you  have  covered  the  raised  deck  with  canvas, 


which  you  can  now  proceed  to  do.  The  canvas  should  be 
lo-ounce  material,  8  feet  in  width  and  14  feet  long.  This 
must  be  well  stretched  and  fastened  closely  around  the 
edges  with  copper  tacks.  The  usual  method  of  laying  a 
canvas  deck  of  this  description  is  to  cover  the  upper  side 
of  the  plank  with  a  thick  paint,  stretch  and  fasten  the 
canvas,  and  then  dampen  the  canvas  with  a  sponge  and 
apply  a  coat  of  paint.  The  claim  is  that  the  moisture 
tightens  the  canvas  and  the  coat  of  paint  prevents  it  from 
relaxing.  Owing  to  the  diversity  of  opinions  upon  this 
subject,  I  am  going  to  state  that  I  either  set  the  canvas 
in  thick  white  lead  paint  and  -yvhen  stretched  apply  a 
good  coat  of  oil  paint,  using  no  water,  or  else  I  cover 
the  plank  with  Jeffrey's  marine  glue,  and  when  the  can- 
vas has  been  stretched  it  is  made  to  adhere  to  same  by 
being  ironed  with  hot  flat  irons.  Men  who  are  well  versed 
in  the  handling  of  canvas  or  duck  tell  me  that  the  oil 
(linseed)  destroys  the  cotton,  and  they  ought  to  know. 
The  edges  of  the  canvas,  where  fastened,  should  be  cov- 
ered with  a  ij4-inch  half-round  moulding. 

Now  that  you  have  the  deck  finished  you  can  remove 
the  piece  of  wood  you  used  for  the  strong  back  and  pro- 
ceed with  the  interior. 

Set  the  beams  for  the  floor  and  lay  the  planking.  There 
should  be  three  strips  thr6ugh  the  center  of  the  floor 
which  will  not  be  fastened  to  the  beams  but  cut  up  in  suit- 
able lengths  and  cleated  together  on  the  under  side.  These 
you  can  remove  at  any  time  to  clean  out  the  bilge'. 

The  blocks  for  the  lights  are  to  be  of  cypress,  lyi  inches 
in  thickness ;  the  sizes  vary  from  io>^  to  12  inches  square, 
according  to  the  diameter  of  the  glasses.  The  diameter 
of  glass  in  the  clear  is  8  inches  for  the  two  after  lights 
on  either  side  and  7  inches  for  the  forward  ones,  if  you 
intend  using  fixed  lights.  If  you  have  decided  to  use 
composition  open  ports  they  should  be  smaller;  purchase 
those  with  the  round  frames,  as  they  do  not  have  to  be 
cut  into  the  planking,  and  present  a  much  better  appear- 
ance than  the  hexagonal  frame  light.  If  you  can  obtain  the 
use  of  a  lathe  or  get  the  blocks  turned,  you  will  save  con- 
siderable work,  and  while  they  are  in  the  lathe  you  can 
cut  a  rabbet  ^4  inch  deep  on  the  face  to  receive  the 
ceiling.  Mark  on  the  outside  of  the  plank  the  position 
of  the  different  lights  and  saw  out  the  circle,  then  fit  the 
blocks  from  the  inside,  cut  to  the  shape  of  the  planking 
and  use  plenty  of  screws  or  nails  to  secure  them  to  the 
planking. 

The  specifications  call  for  the  ceiling  to  be  of  cypress- 
^ix2  inches,  tongued  and  grooved,  edges  bevelled.  Start 
the  first  strip  close  to  the  under  side  of  the  raised  deck 
clamp,  fit  around  the  rabbet  in  the  blocks  and  fasten  to 
same  and  to  the  frames.  After  you  have  fitted  four  strakes 
you  will  find  that  the  next  strake  will  have  to  be  cut  at  the 
forward  end  for  a  certain  distance,  as  it  will  bear  against 
the  upper  side  of  the  clamp,  and  the  next  two  strips  will 
be  shorter  in  length  for  the  same  reason.  If  you  fit 
them  carefully  you  will  find  that  it  looks  well.  The 
proper  way  to  ceil  this  space  would  be  to  take  a  spiling 
and  shape  each  piece  so  that  there  would  be  the  same 
number  of  pieces  at  one  end  as  at  the  other,  but  so  that 
they  would  decrease  in  width  as  they  neared  the  stem. 
There  would  be  little  or  no  advantage  in  ceiling  a  boat 
of  this  description  in  such  a  manner  unless  you  were  par- 
ticular, but  that  is  the  proper  way  to  put  in  a  ceiling. 
Work  in  the  ceiling  from  the  under  side  of  the  clamp  to 
the  upper  edge  of  the  bilge  clamp  and,  with  the  exception 
of  the  toilet  room,  it  will  cover  the  inside  of  the  frames. 
If  you  want  to  make  the  interior  look  well  you  can  ceil 
from  the  under  side  of  the  bilge  clamp  in  the  toilet  room 
to  the  floor. 

The  companionway  slide,  runs,  door  frame,  etc.,  can  now 
be  gotten  out.  They  do  not  need  any  explanation,  as  the 
plans  show  the  section  of  the  hatch,  etc.  The  specifica- 
tions call  for  them  to  be  of  mahogany,  but  if  you  prefer 
some  other  material,  well   and   good — use   it;   but  don't 


32 


use  any  wood  that  is  apt  to  warp  out  of  shape  when 
exposed  to  the  elements  or  you  will  have  a  leaky  com- 
panion way  slide.  The  doors,  to  look  well,  should  be 
panelled  and  made  of  ii^-inch  stock  with  panels  at  least 
Yz  of  an  inch  thick. 

The  rubstreaks  can  be  of  oak  or  teak,  2  inches  wide. 
If  shaped  as  shown,  it  presents  a  better  appearance  than 
if  it  were  half  round.  Fasten  well  through  the  planking 
into  the  frames  and  take  care  to  have  a  fair  curve,  as 
the  apipearance  of  such  a  boat  can  easily  be -spoiled  when 
the  rubstreaks  are  set  in  position  if  they  are  not  in  a  nice. 


the  size  of  the  rudder  stock  and  it  will  make  a  good 
stuffing-box  for  such  a  rudder.  I  don't  wish  to  convey 
the  impression  that  a  stuffing-box  made  in  this  manner  is 
as  good  as  having  a  proper  one  made,  but,  it  is  something 
that  can  be  purchased  most  anywhere,  and  therefore  would 
appeal  to  the  amateur.  The  port  should  be  carefully 
threaded  into  the  knee  and  horn  timber,  and  if  you  cover 
the  thread  with  white  lead  and  have  it  fit  tight  into  the 
wood  it  will  not  leak.  Fig.  6  shows,  the  dimensions  of 
the  rudder,  and  a  simple  way  to  make  this  is  to  buy  a 
piece  of  hard  rolled  Tobin  bronze  %  inch  thick  and  cut 


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■■'■*'■ 


LOCKER 


Another  Cabin  Arrangement  for  the  Nock  25  Foot  Cabin   Cruiser 


fair  line,  and  there  is  really  no  excuse  for  them  being 
otherwise,  as  you  have  your  sheer  line  to  work  to. 

When  you  have  arrived  at  this  point  you  have  prac- 
tically completed  the  hull.  Fit  a  piece  of  ^  inch  half- 
round  brass  to  the  stem,  to  protect  it.  and  bore  for  th; 
rudder  port  if  you  have  not  already  done  so.  For  the 
rudder  port  you  will  need  a  piece  of  i  inch  brass  steam 
pipe  18  inches  in  length.  Have  a  locknut  thread  cut  in 
the  lower  end  5  inches  in  length,  at  the  upper  end  you 
will  require  a  thread  2  inches  in  length.  For  the  stuffing- 
box  you  can  purchase  a  standard  i-inch  brass  cap  and 
also  a  small  locknut  of  the  same  size.     Bore  the  cap  to 


it  to  the  required  shape.  For  the  stock  you  will  need  a 
piece  of  Tobin  bronze  i  inch  diameter,  3  feet  8  inches  in 
length.  Have  a  machinist  mill  a  slot  in  this  stock  to 
receive  the  blade ;  square  the  head  above  the  stuffing-box 
to  receive  the  quadrant  and  turn  the  lower  end  down  to 
}i  inch  diameter  for  a  distance  of  Ij4  inches  to  form 
a  pintle  for  the  shoe  to  hold  the  lower  end  of  rudder 
stock.  You  can  either  have  the  machinist  rivet  the  blade 
in  place  or  do  this  work  yourself,  as  it  is  not  difficult.  A 
rudder  made  in  this  manner  is  well  suited  for  so  small  a 
craft.  The  shoe  you  can  bend  up  out  of  a  piece  of  brass 
or  bronze,  but  it  is  better  to  make  a  pattern  and  have  this 


33 


cast.  The  quadrant  is  a  standard  article  with  d  radius  of 
12  inches  and  can  be  purchased  from  any  well-known 
dealer  in  boat  hardware.  For  the  steering  wheel  you 
can  use  either  a  drum  steerer  or  one  of  the  auto  steerers 
if  you  prefer  to  haVe  a  horizontal  wheel;  in  either  case 
you  will  need  a  tiller  rope  about  ^  inch  diameter,  and 
this  can  be  led  either  between  the  staving  in  the  cock- 
pit and  the  frames  or  else  under  the  beams  of  the  cock- 
pit deck.  Wherever  this  wire  rope,  if  you  use  wire,  makes 
a  sharp  turn,  it  should  run  over  a  wheel  with  a  diameter 
of  not  less  than  2j^  inches. 

The  interior  can  now  be  finished,  and  as  I  have  shown 
two  cabin  plans,  you  can  please  yourself  which  you  use, 
or  perhaps  you  may  have  an  idea  of  a  cabin  arrangement 
which  would  meet  your  requirements  much  better.  Un- 
der any  circumstances  it  is  not  worth  while  my  explain- 
ing how  to  set  up  staving,  bulkheads,  seats,  etc.,  for  if 
you  have  finished  your  boat  up  to  this  point  you  will 
find  that  such  work  as  this  is  of  no  trouble  whatever.  If 
you  require  any  great  amount  of  panel  work,  it  would  be 
cheaper  to  have  this  made  where  they  have  machinery, 
but  I  have  purposely  made  the  interior  plain,  thereby 
making  it  easier  to  construct. 

A  word  about  the  engine:  if  you  intend  to  install  it, 
take  just  as  much  care  in  making  up  the  joints  on  the 
piping,  etc.,  as  you  would  in  making  the  joints  in  the  hull, 
for  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  and  no  matter  how 
long  it  takes,  if  done  properlv,  you  will  feel  well  repaid 
for  your  trouble.  Use  a  seamless,  drawn  bronze  or  copper 
pipe  for  the  gasolene  supply,  as  this  material  does  not  de- 
teriorate like  brass  pipe  or  crystallize  like  block  tin  pipe. 
The  proper  methods  of  installing  engines  have  been 
thoroughly  explained  in  Motor  Boat  before  in  detail, 
therefore  it  would  be  useless  for  me  to  go  into  the  mat- 
ter. The  gasoFene  tanks  figured  for  this  boat  are  cyl- 
indrical in  form,  lo  inches  diameter  and  48  inches  in 
length.  They  are  to  be  situated  under  the  cockpit  deck, 
well  out  on  either  side  of  the  engine.  A  small  water 
tank  can  be  fitted  under  the  after  end  of  the  berths  in 
the  cabin  if  desired,  and  a  pump  could  be  set  up  at  the 


sink  to  supply  the  water  for  cooking  and  washing,  and, 
if  one  required  it,  a  small  folding  lavatory  could  be  fitted 
in  the  toilet  room. 

The  specifications  mention  the  principal  fittings,  all  of 
which  can  be  purchased  from  any  reliable  dealer  in  boat 
hardware. 

The  finishing  of  the  boat  is  quite  important,  the  top 
sides  and  under  body  should  be  planed  smooth  and  fair, 
then  sandpapered  and  primed.  Before  the  second  coat  is 
applied  the  first  coat  should  be  well  rubbed  down  with 
fine  sandpaper,  and  the  same  treatment  to  be  applied  every 
time  before  you  apply  a  coat  of  paint.  The  under  body 
should  be  treated  in  a  similar  manner,  only  in  this  case 
you  should  apply  either  copper  or  some  anti-fouling  paint. 
The  designed  ivater  line,-  Or  the  line  shown  on  the  plans 
as  the  L.  W.  L.  is  supposed  to  represent  the  line  of  the 
water  when  the  boat  is  afloat,  and  it  is  a  good  plan  to 
mark  a  waterline  on  a  boat  of  this  size  i^  to  2  inches 
above  this  line  and  paint  up  to  this  point  with  the  same 
paint  you  use  for  the  bottom,  as  it  keeps  the  sides  clean 
and  adds  to  the  appearance  of  the  boat.  This  line  should 
be  marked  on  while  the  boat  is  in  the  stocks  and  scribed 
in  with  an  awl,  as  it  makes  it  easier  to  cut  to  such  a  line 
when  painting. 

All  the  bright  work,  such  as  rubstreaks,  cockpit  staving, 
companionway,  etc.,  should  be  treated. to  one  coat  of 
filler,  rubbed  down  and  then  have  three  coats  of  spar 
composition  applied,  each  coat  being  rubbed  down  before 
the  next  is  laid  on.  The  canvas  should  receive  one  coat 
of  canvas  filler  and  two  coats  of  deck  paint.  The  in- 
terior bright  work  should  have  one  coat  of  filler  and 
two  coats  of  a  first-class  interior  varnish. 

When  you  have  completed  the  boat  she  can  be  removed 
from  the  stocks  and  launched,  and  there  is  no  need  for 
any  explanation  how  to  proceed  to  launch  this  craft. 

Without  doubt  there  are  many  minor  things  I  have  not 
mentioned  that  will  have  to  be  done,  but  I  have  gone  into 
the  matter  in  such  a  manner  as  I  believe  will  make  it 
plain  to  those  who  think  of  building  a  boat  of  this  sort 
and  have  some  fair  knowledge  of  the  use  of  tools. 


Specifications  for  Construction  of  a  25-foot  Cabin  Cruiser 

BY  FREDERIC  S.  NOCK,  EAST  GREENWICH,  R.  I. 


Dimensions 

Length,  overall    25  feet  o     inches 

Length,    waterline    23  feet  4     inches 

Breadth,  extreme   7  feet  o     inches 

Breadth,   at  waterline 6  feet  5     inches 

Draught,    to    Rabbet l  foot  4     inches 

Draught,    extreme    2  feet  I V2  inches 

Material  and  Workmanship 

In  carrying  out  these  specifications,  there  are  to  be  used 
only  the  best  materials  and  workmanship.  Proper  care  to  be 
given  to  the  details  of  construction,  fastenings,  etc.  All  wood 
shall  be  sound,  clear  and  free  from  all  defects,  all  pieces  to 
be  cut  fair  with  the  grain,  and  all  knees,  etc.,  to  be  natural 
crooks,  all  fastenings  not  otherwise  specified  to  be  of  gal- 
vanized iron. 

Keel 

To  be  of  native  white  oak,  sided  3  inches,  moulded  as  per 
plans  and  to  be  in  One  length,  mill  dressed  to  a  uniform  thick- 
ness and  finished  smooth. 

Stem 

To  be  of  white  oak,  sided  3  inches,  moulded  as  per  plans, 
to  be  connected  to  the  keel  with  an  oak  knee  sided  3  inches, 
to  be  properly  fitted- and  fastened  with  ^-inch  diameter  bolts 
clinched  over  washers,  heads  to  be  countersunk  and  covered 
with  wood  plugs. 

Shaft-Log 

To  be  of  white  oak,  sided^*3  inches,  built  up  of  two  pieces, 
bored  for  shaft  and  to  be  securely  fastened  to  the  keel  with 
5-16-inch  diameter  bolts. 


Horn  Timber 
To  be  of  white  oak,  sided  3  inches,  shaped  as  per  plans,  to 
be  securely  fastened  through  shaft-log  and  keel  with  5-16-inch . 
diameter  bolts. 

Stern  Post 
To  be  of  white  oak,  sided  3  inches,  shaped  as  per  plans,  to 
be  carefully  fitted  and  well  fastened  to  the  keel,  etc. 
Transom 
To  be  of  oak,  1 14 -inch  thick,  to  be  connected  fo  the  horn 
timber  with  an  oak  knee  or  hackmatack  knee  sided  2}^  inches 
and  fastened  with   J^-inch  diameter  bolts.    Cheek  pieces  of 
oak  I  inch  thick  are  to  be  securely  fastened  to  the  inside  edge 
of  the  transom  to  form  a  back  rabbet  and  fasten  the  planking 
to. 

Frames 
To  be  of  white  oak,  i^xi^  inches,  spaced  9  inches  center 
to  center,  frames  wherever  possible  are  to  extend  from  gun- 
wale to  gunwale  in  oiie  piece,  and  to  be  securely  fastened  to 
the  keel,  frames  aft  of  forward  end  of  shaft-log  are  to  be 
mortised  into  a  cheek  piece  of  oak  1  inch  thick  which  same 
is  to  be  well  fastened  to  the  keel  and  shaft-log  and  the  lower 
edge  cut  to  form  a  back  rabbet  for  the  garboard. 

Floors 
To  be  of  white  oak,  ij^xi^  inches,  to  be  securely  fastened 
to  the  keel  and  through  the  sides  of  th{  frames,  floors  aft  of 
forward    end    of    shaft-log    to    be    sawn -to    shape,    carefully 
fastened  to  the  keel  and  through  the  frames. 
Bilge  Clamps 
To  be  of  yellow   pine   154x4  '"ches  amidship,  tapered  at 


34 


ends  to  l]/2X3'/2  inches,  length  of  taper  7  feet,  to  be  securely 
fastened  through  frames. 

Deck  Clamps 
To  be  of  yellow  pine  i}4x4  inches,  upper  and  lower  edges 
to  be  chamferred  from  forward  end  for  a  distance  of  14  feet, 
to  be  securely  fastened  through  frames  and  at  each  athwart- 
ship  frame  to  have  one  fastening  through  clamp,  frame  and 
strake,  heads  of  fastenings  to  be  sunk  in  strake  and  covered 
with  wood  plugs. 

Raised  Deck  Clamp 
To  be  of  yellow  pine  15^x3;^  inches,  lower  edge  bevelled, 
to  be  well  fastened  to  the  frames  and  at  each  alternate  frame 
to  have  one  fastening  through  cjamp,  frame  and  sheerstrake. 
PlankiNg 
To   be   of   yellow   pine   in   long   lengths,    to   finish    J4-inch 
thick,    where    butts   occur    same   to    be    reinforced   with    oak 
blocking  and  to  be  securely  fastened,  heads  of  fastenings  to 
be  covered   with   wood   plugs.     All   fastenings   to  be  of  gal- 
vanized iron  chisel  point  nails  clinched  on  the  inside  of  the 
fromes.     Seams  to  be  tight  on  the  inside,  and  planed  with  a 
suitable  bevel  for  calking,  seams  to  be  calked  with  yacht  cot- 
ton, payed  with  white  lead  and  finished  flush  with  white  lead 
putty,  exterior  to  be  carefully  planed  smooth  and   fair,  and 
sandpapered  before  being  painted,  inside  of  plank  to  be  coped 
to  fit  the  frames  wherever  necessary. 
Keelson 
To  be  of  oak  or  yellow  pine,  as  desired,  2x4  inches,  to  be 
scarfed  and  fitted  to  knee  at  stem,  and  to  be  well  fastened 
through  floors  and  into  keel. 

Engine  Bed 
To  be  of  oak,  constructed  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
engine.  Fore  and  aft  bearers  to  be  sided  3  inches,  carefully 
fitted  over  frames  and  securely  fastened  to  same,  athwartship 
bearers  to  be  sided  254  inches,  to  be  carefuUy  fitted  to  the 
plank  and  securely  fastened  to  the  keel  and  fore  and  aft 
bearers. 

Deck  Beams 
To  be  of  oak,  sided  i!4  inches,  moulded  i^  inches,  spaced 
as  per  plans,  to  be  cut  with  a  crown  oi  lYz  mches  in  five  feet, 
ends  to  be  mortised  into  deck  clamp  and  well  fastened. 
Raised  Deck  Beams 
To  be  of  oak,  sided  i54  inches,  moulded  ij4  inches,  spaced 
9  inches,  crown  of  beams  S  inches  in  seven  feet,  and  to  be 
either   sawn    to    shape    or    steam   bent   as   desired.     Ends   of 
beams  to  be  cut  into  clamp  and  securely  fastened  to  same  and 
heads  of  frames. 

Raised  Deck  Covering  Boards 
To  be  of  oak,  J^-inch  thick,  3  inches  in  width,  sprung  to 
shape  and  securely  fastened  to  the  beams,  clamps  and  sheer- 
strake. 

Raised  Deck  Plank 
To  be  of  cypress  %-inch  thick,  3  inches  wide,  tongued  and 
grooved   and   edges   bevelled    on   the    underside,    to    be    well 
fastened  to  the  beams,  the  top  planed  smooth  and  fair  and 
covered  with  lo-ounce  canvas  properly  stretched  and  bedded 
in   white  lead,   edges   to  be  fastened   with   copper   tacks  and 
covered  with  i54-'nch  half  round  oak  moulding. 
Deck  Plank 
To  be  of  white  pine  ^X2  inches,  to  be  well  fastened  to  the 
beams,  heads  of  fastenings  covered  with  wood  plugs,  seams 
I     calked,  payed  with  white  lead  and  finished  flush  with  white 
lead  putty. 

Cockpit  Deck  Beams 
To  be  of  oak,  sided  xYi  inches,  moulded  1^4  inches,  spaced 
18  inches  center  to  center,  ends  of  beams  to  be  fastened  to  the 
frames  and  supported  on  stanchions  in  center. 
Cockpit  Deck  Plank 
To  be  of  white  pine  ^x2  inches,  to  be  well  fastened  to  the 
beams,  heads  of  fastenings  covered  with  wood  plugs,  seams 
calked  with  yacht  cotton,  payed  with_  white  lead  and  finished 
flush  with  white  lead  putty,  or  if  desired,  deck  to  be  covered 
with  lo-ounce  canvas  properly  stretched  and  bedded  in  white 
lead. 

Grub  Beam 
To  be  of  oak,  2x6  inches,  upper  edge  to  be  rabbeted  to  re- 
ceive the-  %-inch   staving  at  after  end  of  house,  ends  to  be 
well  fastened  to  the  .frames. 

Cockpit  Hatch  and  Coaming 
Coaming' to  be  of  oak  1V2  inches  thick,  cut  with  a  rabbet 
on  the  upper  edge  for  hatch  as  per  plans,  after  end  of  coam- 
ing to  be  securely  fastened  to  the  beam,  forward  end  to  be 
cut  with  a  waterway  as  per  plans  and  to  be  securely  fastened 


to  the  grub  beam,  hatch  frame  to  be  of  oak  cut  with  a  rabbet 
to  fit  the  coaming,  and  covered  with  white  pine  ^  x  2  inches, 
seams  calked  as  per  deck  or  covered  with  canvas  as  desired, 
if  canvas  covered  there  is  to  be  an  oak  nosing  around  same 
to  cover  the  fastenings. 

Cockpit  Staving 
To  be  of  oak  or  cypress,  ^x2  inches,  tongued  and  grooved, 
edges  bevelled,  to  be  well  fasfened  to  the  clamp  and  lower 
ends  set  into  a  rabbeted  piece  o'f  oak  as  per  plans  and  securely 
fastened,  forward  end  of  cockpit  seat  and  after  end  of  house 
to  be  staved  up  in  the  same,  material,  a  filler  piece  of  spruce 
or  some  suitable  material  is  to  be  worked  to  shape  and  fitted 
between  the  upper  ends  of  staving  and  strake  and  securely 
fastened,  and  to  this  is  to  be  fastened  the  upper  ends  of  the 
staving. 

Cap 
To   be  of  oak,   i]4,   inches  thick,  5  inches   in   width,  edges 
rounded,  to  be  fitted  over  top  of  staving  and  upper  strake  and 
to  be  well  fastened,  heads  of  fastenings  to  be  covered  with 
wood  plugs. 

Cockpit  Seat  and  Lazy  Back 
To  be  of  mahogany  %-inch  thick,  top  of  seat  to  be  arranged 
to  lift  up,  lazy  back  to  be  removable. 

Cabin  Doors,  Frame,  Companionway,  Hun  and  Slide 
To  be  constructed  as  per  plans  of  mahogany. 

Forward  Bitt  and  Towpost 
To  be  of  oak  or  locust  4x4  i,nches,  to  be  12  inches  in  length, 
6  inches  above  the   deck,   and  the  part   that  passes   through 
deck  is   to   have  a   slot  mortised   through   same  and   to  be 
wedged  up  K)  the  oak  blocks  with  oak  or  locust  wedges,  there 
are  to  be  two  rivets  in  each  bitt  below  the  opening  for  wedges. 
Rubstreaks 
To  be  of  oak,  2  iiiches  wide,  and  about  ^-inch  thick,  shaped 
as  per  plans,  to  be  well  fastened  to  the  plank  and  frames. 
Blocks  for  Portlights 
To  be  of  cypress,  1Y2  inches  thick,  shaped  to  fit  the  inside 
of  the.  planking  and  to  be  securely  fastened  to  same,  face  to 
be  cut  with  a  rabbet  J^-inch  deep  to  receive  the  ceiling. 
Ceiling 
To  be  of  cypress,  fSx2  inches,  tongued  and  grooved,  edges 
bevelled,  to  be  well  fastened  to  the  frames  and  to  extend  from 
the  underside  of  the  raised  deck  clamp  to  the  top  of  transoms, 
etc. 

Cabin  Floor  Beams 
To  be  of  oak,  sided  1%  inches,  moulded  i54  inches,  spaced 
18  inches,  ends  to  be  well  fastened  to  frames  and  supported  . 
in  center  where  necessary. 

Cabin  Floor  Plank 

To  be  of  yellow  pine  ^  of  an  inch  thick,  laid  in  strips  4 
inches  wide,  the  three  center  strips  are  to  be  cleated  and  cut 
up  in  short  lengths  to  make  suitable  traps  for  access  to  the 
bilge,  the  balance  of  the  plank  to  be  well  fastened  to  the 
beams. 

Forward  Bulkhead 

To  be  of  cvoress  staving,  ^x3  inches,  tongued  and  grooved, 
edges  bevelled,  door  to  be  of  the  same  material  to  be  well 
cleated  to  prevent  warping. 

Center  Bulkheads  ^  ' 

To  be  of  cypress  staving,  ^x3  inches,  tongued  and'grooved, 
edges  bevelled. 

Transom  Fronts 

To  be  staved  up  with  JS^x3  inch  cypress,  mopboard  4  inches 
wide  of  cypress,  and  facing  strip  of  either  cypress  or  oak  3 
inches  wide. 

Transom  Tops 

To  be  of  cypress  5^-inch  thick,  to  be  supported  on  beams, 
and  suitable  traps  to  be  cut  in  same  to  admit  of  using  space 
under  berths  for  storage. 

Galley,  Etc. 

Sides  of  lockers,  front  of  stove  locker,  ice-box,  etc.,  to  be 
built  up  of  ^x3  inch  cypress  staving,  locker  doors  of  same  ma- 
terial, ice-box  top,  shelves,  etc.,  to  be  of  ^-inch  cypress,  ice- 
box to  be  sheathed  with  54-inch  spruce  and  lined  with  zinc, 
stove  space  to  be  lined  with  zinc.  An  enameled  iron  sink 
12x16  inches  is  to  let  into  the  top  of  the  ice-box  and  fitted 
with  a  lead  discharge  pipe  to  drain  overboard.  Lockers  on 
either  side  to  hf  fitted  with  shelves,  etc.,  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  the  owner. 

Companionway  Steps 

To  be  of  oak  or  cypress,  shaped  as  per  plans  and  fitted  with 
chocks  for  feet,  also  hooks  and  eyes  for  upper  end,  steps  are 
to  be  removable  to  admit  of  starting  engine. 


35 


Fittings,  Etc. 

To  comprise: — One  small  yacht  closet  properly  set  and 
plumbed,  one  12x16  inch  enameled  iron  sink  properly  plumbed, 
one  Khotal  or  Primus  two  burner  galvanized  iron  frame,  two 
round  frame  open  port  lights  6  inches  diameter  for  toilet 
room,  four  8-inch  round  frame  fixed  lights  and  two  7-inch 
ditto  for  galley  and  cabin.  All  interior  hardware,  such  as 
catches,  hinges,  bolts,  etc.,  to  be  of  brass  or  bronze.  Brass 
or  bronze  stem  band,  bronze  rudder,  bronze  shoe,  brass  rud- 
der port  and  stuffing-box,  galvanized  irorr  quadrant,  gal- 
vanized steel  tiller  rope,  galvanized  iron  wheel  leads  for  tiller 
rope,  brass  and  wood  steering  wheel,  one  pair  of  polished 
brass  bow  chocks,  one  pair  polished  brass  quarter  chocks, 
brass  padlock  and  hasp,  etc.  Scuppers  in  cockpit  deck  to  be 
of  lead  pipe  Ij4-inch  diameter. 

Motor,  Etc. 

To  be  a  double  cylinder  2  stroke  engine,  4  inch  bore,  4j4 


inch  stroke^  weight  complete  not  to  exceed  350  pounds.  All 
accessories  for  eflgine,  such  as  piping,  fittings,  gasolene  tanks 
of  20  gallons'  capacity  each,  shaft,  propeller,  stuffing-box, 
wiring,  coil,  magneto,  etc.,  to  be  furnished  complete. 

Painting,  Finishing,  Etc. 

Entire  interior  of  hull  to  receive  one  coat  of  priming  paint 
before  being  ceiled,  exterior  of  hull  to  be  finished  smooth, 
and  carefully  sandpapered  and  given  one  coat  of  priming 
paint  and  three  coats  of  pure  white  lead  paint  to  tiic  Vvater- 
line,  underbody  to  receive  two  coats  of  copper  or  Anti-Foul- 
ing  paint.  All  exterior  bright  work  to  be  treated  to  one  coat 
of  filler  and  three  coats  of  Spar  Composition.  House  deck 
and  all  parts  covered  with  <anvas  are  to  be  treated  to  one 
coat  of  canvas  filler  and  two  coats  of  U.  S.  Deck  paint.  In- 
terior bright  work  to  be  treated  to  one  coat  of,  filler  and  two 
coats  of  Cabinoleum  or  LX.L.  varnish. 


36 


OUTBOARD  PROFILE  AND  DECK  PLAK 


How  to  Build  a  Single  Step  Hydroplane 


By  George  F.  Crouch 


THE  racing  results  of  the  season  of  the  past  year  have 
shown  clearly  that  the  hydroplane  type  of  boat  has 
come  to  stay.  Every  important  race — referring,  of 
course,  to  the  speed  boat  classes — was  won  by  some  type  of 
"hydro."  Weather  conditions  had  much  less  effect  on 
their  speed  than  we  had  been  led  to  expect ;  and,  taken 
as  a  whole,  I  believe  that  they  were  better  performers  in 
rough  weather  than  the  displacement  boats  of  equal  length 
and  less  speed. 

Riding  in  a  good  "hydro"  is  a  joy  which  can  be  found 
in  no  other  sport.  The  little  boats  are  so  "alive,"  they 
respond  so  quickly,  turn  in  almost  their  own  length  and 
flutter  over  the  surface  of  the  water  in  a  delightful  way. 
A  displacement  boat  seems  dead'  after  one  has  become 
accustomed  to  the  hydro.  One  misses  the  "pat-pat-pat" 
of  the  hydro  as  it  glides  over  the  ripples  and  one  misses  its 
stiffness.  The  displacement  racer  seems  to  heel  down  on 
her  beam  ends  as  if  she  were  never  coming  back  while 
the  hydro  keeps  moving  along  on  an  even  keel. 

The  progress  of  the  last 
year  in  hydroplane  design 
is  a  surprise  to  all  who 
have  closely  followed  the 
course  of  development.  At 
first  it  was  thought  that 
the  hydroplane  must  be 
niarveloHsly  light  and 
every'  effort  was  made  to 
cut  down  weight;  hulls 
were  pared  to  the  limit, 
rriotors  of  the  lightest  pos- 
sible types  were  chosen, 
and  in  some  cases  this 
weight   reduction  was  car- 


GENERAL     DIMENSIONS     OF     HYDROPLANE 

Length,  overall 19  feet  4  inches 

Beam,  extreme   (at  planksheer,  out- 
side Yi  round) 4 

Beam,  extreme  (at  chine) 4 

Depth  of  hull  (forward) 2 

"      "     (amidship) 2 

"      "     (aft) 2 

Draft  of  hull   (at  rest) 0 

Draft   (at  rest,  with  18-inch  wheel)   2 


ried  to  a  point  where  light  men  were  chosen  for  the 
crew.  No  doubt  this  was  the  correct  thing  to  do  with 
the  hulls  used,  but  the  latest  models  show  that  fairly 
heavy  construction  and  a  medium  weight  racing  motor 
can  be  used  with  almost  equally  good  results  as  far 
as  speed  is  concerned,  and  much  better  results  when 
endurance   and   reliability   are  considered. 

The  little  boat,  which  is  the  subject  of  this  article, 
is  of  this  lat-est  medium  weight  type.  The  hull  is  not 
extremely  light  but  the  construction  is  such  that  it  is 
unusually  stiff  and  rig'd.  As  may  be  noticed,  the  cross 
floors,'  the  keel  and  the  two  fore  and  aft  stringers  form 
a  strong  truss  even  without  the  planking  and  the  fore  and 
aft  edge  stringers. 

The  hull  is  of  the  single  step  type,  the  step  being  formed 
by  putting  a  metal  plane  on  the  hull  after  it  has  been 
completely  planked.  It  is  not  necessary  to  explain  the 
manifold  advantages  of  an  applied  metal  plane  as  any 
one  interested  in  hydroplanes  knows  them.  With  re- 
gard to  the  hull  construc- 
tion it  is  not  an  easy 
matter  to  show  a  boat 
which  will  be  easily  built 
and  yet  possess  all  the 
strength,  rigidity  and 
lightness  that  the  boat 
turned  out  by  the  profes- 
sional builder  will  show. 
The  general  scheme  which 
I  have  used  is  that  of 
having  no  bent  or  steamed 
frames  whatsoever.  The 
moulds,  instead  of  being 
made    of    rough    material. 


8J4 

11. 

5 


37 


are  to  be  of  selected  spruce,  nicely  finished  and  put  to- 
gether as  shown  on  the  drawmgs  of  the  molds  or  frames. 
These  molds  stay  m  the  hull  and  take  the  place  of  the 
ordinary  system  of  framin?  so  care  must  be  used  in 
getting  them  out  and  m  finishmg  them.  In  fact,  through- 
out the  whole  construction  anything  put  on  the  work 
stays  there  in  the  completed  hull.  There  are  no  molds  to 
rip  out  after  the  boat  is  planked,  no  ribbands  to  be  used 
m  "fairing  up"  and  then  taken  off  again. 

Although  the  construction  is  fairly  simple,  it  is  a  much 
more  difficult  boat  to  build  than  the  Water-Bug,  the  plans 
and  building  instructions  of  which  were  published  in 
Motor  Boat  for  January  10  and  25,  1911,  and  I, there- 
fore recommend  that  boat  for  those  who  have  never  had 
any  boat-building  experience  rather  than  for  them  to  at- 
tempt this  new  one  The  troubles  which  the  beginner 
would  find  in  building  to  this  new  design  are  riot  so  much 
in  the  hull  itself — although  the  planking  of  concave  "veed" 
bottom  means  work — as  in  the  motor  and  drive  installa- 
tion I  have  counted  on  using  a  gear  drive  to  the  pro- 
peller shaft  as  this  gives  a  good  shaft  angle  and  allows  the 


IV 


motor  to  be  placed  well  aft.  This  motor  position  is  of 
utmost  importance  in  a  boat  designed  to  carry  a  fairly 
heavy  motor.  Since  motors  differ  so  widely  in  power, 
size  and  weight,  I  cannot  give  definite  measurements  for 
the  driving  gear  and  motor  beds,  so  the  builder  must 
use  his  ingenuity  and  experience  in  following  out  in 
detail  what  I  can  only  indicate  in  a  general  way 

The  motors  which  may  be  used  in  this  hull  range  in 
power  from  40-hp.  to  120-hp.  I  would  not  advise  using 
much  less  than  40-hp.  and  the  weight  of  such  a  motor 
should  be  not  over  600  pounds.  The  speed  to  be  ex- 
pected with  such  an  equipment  is  28  to  30  miles  an 
hour,  while  with  a  120-hp.  motor  weighing  about  1,000 
pounds  the  speed  should  be  about  40  miles  an  hour.  Any 
motor  between  these  two  should  give  proportionate  re- 
sults. Of  course  you  would  not  use  a  40-hp  motor  weigh- 
ing 1,000  pounds  for  the  weight  should  be  in  proportion 
to  the  power  If  a  motor  too  heavy  for  the  power  is 
used,  the  boat  will  not  "get  up"  but  will  plough  along 
at  canal  boat  speed  The  motors  should  be  of  fairly  high 
speed  capable  of  turning  somewhere  between  900  and  1,500 
r  p.m.,  and  the  driving  gear  can  be  proportioned  to  suit 
the  motor  chosen  so  that  the  propeller  will  turn  1,500  to 
1,600  r.p.m. 

I  will  not  stop  to  tell  you  how  to  choose  a  place  to 
build  the  boat  nor  what  tools  you  will  need,  as  I  assume 
that  you  have  some  knowledge  of  boat  building  and  know 
that  small  boats  are  always  built  under  cover,  that  a 
hammer  is  used  to  drive  nails,  and  so  on. 

The  first  step  toward  the  actual  construction  of  the 
boat  is  to  get  out  the^keel,  stem,  transom  and  the  knees  for 
connecting  them  together.  The  plan  of  the  keel  and  the 
keel  sections  gives  full  information  as  to  size  and  form 
of  the  keel.  If  possible,  the  keel  should  be  in  one  length 
and  the  best  material  to  use  is  white  oak,  although  yellow 
pine  might  be  used  as  a  substitute  in  case  it  is  impossible 
to  secure  oak.  Between  molds  No.  3  and  No.  7  the 
keel   has  considerable  bend  in   it,  and   it  will  be   neces- 


38 


39 


sary  to  take  the  stiffness  out  of  it  by  steaming  in  a 
long  steam  box  or  by  pouring  boiling  water  upon  it  until 
the  required  bend  can  be  given  to  it.  If  you  cannot  se- 
cure a  piece  of  oak  long  enough  to  make  the  keel  in  one 
piece,  two  pieces  may  be  used  and  the  joint  between 
them  stiffened  by  an  oak  butt  strap  about  2  feet  long, 
thoroughly  riveted  to  each  part  of  the  keel. 

The  stern  is  a  piece  of  white  oak  shaped  as  shown  on 
the  detail  plan.  The  rabbet  should  be  roughly  cut  to 
form,  as  should  that  of  the  keel,  leaving  the  finishing 
touches  to  be  given  after  the  frames  have  been  set  up  and 
the  boat  is  ready  for  planking.  The  knee  joining  the 
stem  to  the  keel  is  sided  1^  inches,  the  same  as  the  stem 
and  may  be  made  of  hackmatack  or  even  of  straight 
grained  oak,  in  which  the  oak  should,  of  course,  run 
diagonally  between  the  stem  and  the  keel.  Note  the 
stopwater  where  the  keel  joins  the  stern. 

The  transom  should  be  made  ready  next.  It  is  of  ^- 
inch  mahogany  or  oak  shaped  as  shown  in  the  transom 
detail.  It  is  too  deep  to  be  made  in  one  piece,  so  the 
separate  parts  must  be  joined  together  and  then  stiffened 
by  vertical  pieces  of  oak  as  shown.  Do  not  cut  the 
round  at  the  top  of  the  transom  down  to  the  line,  but 
leave  that  until  the  deck  is  on. 

In  getting  out  the  molds  or  frames,  which  is  the  next 
operation,  you  will  find  it  a  good  plan  to  make  full  sized 
drawings  of  these  molds  on  heavy  paper  or  on  a  clean 
board  before  you  start  in.  These  full  sized  drawings 
will  allow  you  to  compare  the  shape  of  the  pieces  you 
are  making  with  the  required  shape  and  to  check  the 
completed  mold  after  you  have  riveted  it  together.  This 
drawing  should  be  made  for  both  sides  of  the  mold 
from  the  dimensions  given  on  the  mold  or  frame  de- 
tails. These  dimensions  on  this  drawing  are  given  to 
the  inside  of  the  plaftking. 

The  molds  themselves  are  of  spruce,  the  pieces  up  the 


sides  being  3  inches  wide  and  %  of  an  inch  thick,  the 
bottom  cross  floors  are  1  inch  thick  in  way  of  the 
motor  and  gear  drive,  and  are  J4  of  an  inch  at  the 
ends  of  the  boat.  The  pieces  should  be  cut  to  shape 
and  then  riveted  together  as  shown,  using  corner  pieces 
of  oak  yi  inch  thick.  The  molds  which  have  deck  beams 
may  have  these  cut  and  fitted  at  the  same  time  as  tlie 
other  parts  of  the  molds.  The  molds  on  which  beams 
are  not  required  must  be  held  across  the  top  by  a  tem- 
porary cross  piece  in  order  to  keep  them  from  spreading 
or  squeezing  together.  Do  not  cut  any  notches  in  the 
molds  for  the  fore  and  aft  ribbands,  that  covers  up^the 
seams  between  the  planks  until  after  the  frame  is  set 
up,  but  the  notches  to  take  the  keel,  the  chine  and  the 
clamp  should  be  cut  as  shown  on  the. drawings.  When  set- 
ling  up  the  molds  be  careful,  to  get  them  spaced  just 
as  shown  on  the  plans,  or  else  you  will  find  that  there 
will  be  trouble  in  getting  the  proper  bevel  on  the  molds 
after  the  plank  edge  battens  have  been  run  in. 

After  the  various  parts  have  been  prepared  as  de- 
scribed, they  should  be  "set  up."  I  am  not  going  into 
any  great  detail  with  regard  to  "setting  up"  the  molds 
as  the  drawings  show  clearly  the  relation  of  the  parts 
to  each  other.  The  boat  may  be  built  upside  down  or 
right  side  up  equally  well.  Some  builders'  will  prefer 
the  first  method  and  others  the  second.  Whichever  you 
use,  be  sure  that  all  parts  are  securely  fastened  and  that 
the  molds  are  all  parallel  and  square  across  the  center 
line.  If  you  set  the  molds  in  an  inverted  position,  which 
is  probably  the  easier  method  for  the  amateur,  the  keel 
should  be  kneed  to  the  transom  as  shown,  and  fit  into 
the  notches  cut  in  the  molds  to  receive  it,  and  should 
then  be  bolted  to  the  knee  at  the  stern.  Make  sure  that 
the  bend  in  the  keel  does  not  force  any  of  the  molds 
out  of  position.  The  chine  piece  of  1  inch  by  1  inch 
yellow  pine  or  spruce  should  then   be  run  fore  and  aft 


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40 


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DETAIL  OF  HOLDS 


41 


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in  the  notches  at  the  corners  of  the  molds  and  should 
be  connected  to  the  tfansom  by  knees  and  to  each  side 
of  the  keel  at  the  fore  end  by  oak  blocks  as  shown  in 
the  sketch.  The  clamp  is  next  run  in  by  the  same  method, 
the  size  and  material  being  the  same  as  for  the  chine. 

If  the  notches  for  the  clamp,  the  chine  and  the  keel 
have  been  cut  square  to  the  edges  of  the  molds  you 
will  notice  that  the  clamp,  chine  and  keel  will  not  fit 
evenly  into  these  notches  but  will  bear  on  one  edge  of 
the  molds  as  shown  in  the  sketch ;  particularly  on  the 
molds  in  the  fore  part  of  the  boat.  The  notches  must 
be  trimmed  down  to  the  line  shown  in  the  sketcJi  so 
that  the  clamp,  chine  and  keel  bear  evenly  on  the  molds 
and  are  then  fastened  in  place  by  long  brass  screws  or 
by  long  copper  rivets  if  you  so  desire.  The  screws  for 
fastening  the  chine  and  clamp  should  be  about  2  inches 
long  and  those  for  the  keel  about  4  inches.  The  clamps 
on  each  side  of  the  boat  should  be  connected  to  each 
other  and  to  the  stern  by  a  "breast  hook,"  and  should 
be  kneed  to  the  transom.  The  fore  end  of  the  chine  is 
connected  to  the  keel  at  the  fore  end  by  a  triangular 
piece  of  oak  which  is  shown  in  detail  on  the  drawing  of 


DETAIL   OF   MOLDS 

the  fore  erd  of  the  keel.  These  pieces  should  be  fastened 
to  the  sides  of  the  keel  by  long  rivets  or  by  long  brass 
screws.  At  the  transom  the  chine  is  fastened  by  knees 
similar  to  ttiose  used  to  secure  the  clamp 

The  edges  of  the  molds  have  been  cut  off  square 
to  the  side  of  the  molds,  and  if  you  take  a  long  batten 
and  bend  it  along  the  molds  at  the  sides  or  the  bottom, 
you  will  find  that  the  batten  touches  only  one  edge  of 
the  mold  and  that  the  'molds  must  be  trimmed  at  an 
angle  or  level  before  a  long  batten  will  bear  evenly 
on  all  the  molds  anywhere  on  the  surface/ which  is 
to  be  planked.  This  iDeveling  is  the  next  operation  and 
is  done  most  easily  by  using  a  spoke  shave  cutting  down  to 
the  proper  angle  by  trial  with  a  batten  or  long  thin 
straight  piece  of  wood.  One  of  the  pieces  of  spruce  J4 
inch  by  1  inch,  which  you  will  use  later  to  run  under  the 
edges  of  the  planks,  will  do  very  nicely  for  this  work. 
After  the  molds  have  been  beveled  this  batten  should 
bend  smoothly  anywhere  over  the  molds  and  should 
touch  the  full  width  of  the  mold  edge. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  where  the  chine  is  run  in 
the  notches  that  the  bottom  of  the  chine  does  not  ex- 
actly carry  out  the  line  of  the  mold  on  the  two  for- 
ward frames,  but  should  do  so  on  the  other  molds.  The 
bottom  of  the  chine  should  be  planed  to  carry  out  the 
form  given  by  the  molds,  and,  of  course,  the  outside 
of  the  chine  should  be  flush  with  the  sides  of  the  molds. 

The  material  for  the  battens,  which  are  run  fore  and 
aft  to  cover  the  seams  of  the  planking  should  next  be 
prepared.  For  this  you  will  need  16  pieces,  each  20  feet 
long,  of  clear,  straight-grained  spruce  1  inch  wide  and 
Yi,  inch  thick.  As  may  be  seen  on  the  midship  section, 
the  bottom  planking  consists  of  five  planks  on  each  side 
of  the  keel  and  the  side  planking  of  five  planks  above 
the  chine.  On  the  bottom,  therefore,  four  of  these  bat- 
tens are  required  on  each  side  of  the  keel  and  these 
should  be  spaced  so  that  they  divide  the  bottom  at 
frame  No.  4  into  5  equal  parts.  I  believe  you  will  find 
it  a  simpler  job  to  run  these  bottom  battens  about  parallel 
to  the  center  line  of  the  keel,  as  shown  in  the  sketch.  The 
batterns  should  be  held  in  the  desired  position  by  wire 
nails  through  them  into  the  molds,  and  after  marks  have 
been  made  where  the  edges  of  the  battens  cross  the 
molds  they  should  be  taken  off  and  notches  cut  to 
receive  the  battens.  Care  should  be  taken  to"' have  the 
inside  edges  of  the  battens  bear  snugly  against  the  bot- 


42 


SKETCH   SHOWING    HOW   BATTENS   TO    TAKE    EDGES  OF  FLANH  ABE  ETTN  ALONG  BOTTOM  OF  BOAT 


torn   of  the   notches,   and   to   have   the   battens    fair   and 
smooth  for  the  whole  length. 

Where  the  bottom  battens  meet  the  chine  they  should 
be  fastened  to  it  by  a  couple  of  screws  or  rivets,  as 
shown  in  the  detail  sketch.  At  the  stern  these  battens 
are  let  into  the  frame  which  is  fastened  to  the  fore 
side  of  the  transom  and  fastened  to  it  by  a  screw  through 
the  end  of  the  batten. 

The  battens  for  the  sides  should  be  run  in  and  notched 
into  the  molds  in  exactly  the  same  fashion ;  they  should 
be  spaced  to  divide  the  side  into  five  planks  of  about 
equal  width,  and  should  be  fair  and  smooth  throughout 
their  length  and  should  be  flush  with  the  molds,  con- 
nect the  pairs  on  the  opposite  sides  of  the  boat  where 
they  come  together  at  the  stern  by  a  breast  hook  and  let 
them  into  the  frame  on  the  transom  just  as  you  did  the 
bottom  battens. 

These  battens,  both  along  the  bottom  and  the  sides, 
should  be  fastened  to  the  molds  by  2-inch  brass  screws 
with  the  heads  well  countersunk  into  the  battens. 

When  this  is  finished  you  will  have  a  good  idea  of  the 
form  of  the  boat  and  will  doubtless  find  it  different  from 
anything  you  have  seen  before.  She  is  flat  forward  and 
flat  aft  with  a  fairly  sharp  section  right  amidships.  The 
flat  sections  at  the  ends  are  so  designed  to  give  her  a 
big  lifting  power.  When  running  at  full  speed  she  really 
breaks  the  water  with  the  sharp  V-ed  section  of  her 
forward  plane,  and  this  sharp  section  will  make  her 
easier  and  faster  in  rough  water  than  she  would  be  with 
a  flat  plane. 

After  trimming  up  the  rabbet  in  the  keel  and  stern, 
which  may  be  done  by  laying  a  J|-inch  thick  strip  along 
the  battens  and  fitting  it  into  the  rabbet  on  the  keel 
and  stern,  the  boat  is  ready  for  planking.  The  material 
of  the  planking  as  called  for  on  the  midship  section,  is 
^  inch  mahogany,  but  clear  white  cedar  or  white  pine 
could  be  used  equally  well.  Mahogany  is  more  ex- 
pensive but  it  is  also  much  stronger  and  will  take  a  bet- 
ter finish  than  the  other  woods.  It  is  also  somewhat 
heavier  but  the  difference  in  weight  is  much  more  ap- 
parent when  the  wood  is  dry  than  it  is  after  the  boat  has 
been  in  the  water  for  some  time. 

Start  planking  the  bottom  first  and  fit  the  garboards 
into  the  rabbet  in  the  keel  and  have  the  other  edge  come 
on  the  center  of  the  first  batten.  In  order  to  do  this 
you  will  have  to  take  a  spiling,  using  a  thin  board  clamped 
or  lightly  nailed  in  place  and  marking  off  the  points 
on  it  after  the  fashion  which  has  been  explained  again 
and  again  in  Motor  Boat.  Owing  to  the  curvature  of  the 
hollow  V-ed  sections  you  will  doubtless  find  it  necessary 
to  make  the  garboard  and  the  next  plank  somewhat 
thicker  and  then  work  this  hollow  into  the  planks  with  a 
plane.  The  planks  should  be  fastened  to  the  keels  and 
to  the  battens  with  copper  nails  riveted  over  burrs  and 
fastened  to  the  mold  and  stern  by  screws.  Set  the  heads  of 
the  rivets  and  screws  flush  with  the  outside  of  the  plank 
as  the  plank  is  too  light  to  allow  any  countersinking  and 
plugging  without  weakening  the  fastening  unduly. 

The  fore  end  of  the  garboard  should  be  carried  on  out 
a  little  beyond  the  outside  of  the  chine,  and  at  the  after 
end  the  garboard  should  butt  against  the  flat  of  the  tran- 
som. The  same  is  true  of  all'  the  other  bottom  planks. 
After  the  garboard  has  been  fitted,  and  fastened  in  place, 
the  next  plank  should  be  cut  to  the  proper  shape,  and  so 
on,  each  plank  being  cut  from  a  spiling  taken  similarly  to 


DETAILS     OF    KEEL,     STEM,     CHINE     AND     KNEES, 
SHOWING  THEIH  CONNECTION  AT  BOW 


43 


Section  iV-s  8 


^edionN^dl 


Section  N^? 


Section  N^  I 


-1* 
Section  N^6 


Section  N^S 


Secfion  N^O 


KEEL    SEOTIOirS 


?ulfdfeT;e^??h?IiS°af  thf /""  '  T'  ""'^  ^^^  ^^^ 
up  against  the  flat  ai2    \         ^°'^  ^"'''  ^"'^  ^'^o^ld  butt 

D  ank    h  J  1.  "^"^    °  P^'"^  'h'^kly  that  part  of  the 

S'^or  a  Je^v  thi„?.Tr'  '^'  edge  batten  with  wh^e 

SraiTtt^  hf  f^^^^  be^iUrbout  tt^ 

the'^^t^K/'the'jiatLT^     "^''  "  '^'°"  ^^^'^''  "'^^ 

oui^fje'edee  ofiCrSf  J'''rf°'^-P'l'^'y  P^^""^^-^'  ^""1  the 
ou  s  de  line  n/ttt  Pv"*"  ""^'l''  '?  '^"^^  and  fair  with  the 
tVnHJrJ         :  ^^  ''^'"^'  3^  the  side  planks  are  to  be  ex- 

irlmsmJl^t^l  '"  P"l°"'  ?«ingthe  planks  to  shape 

stated  IhnviTi,  7?"- ^^'"^^-"^  1^°"°™  plank,  as 
s^?af  ?h:-  boTiXri^ei^l  tc%td  ^L^ie^^^  f/ 
"IfrihThl.T'^  ^^  the'cEi^e^dgeTatteS  a^n'd  da^p! 
=n^!  'h^h"'  has  been  planked,  smooth  up  the  endre 
surface,  first  going  over  all  rivet  heads  with  a  file  to  7et 
them  flush   wuh  the  wood,  using  emery  cloth    to  brS 

facT'^Thls  'smooth'"'  "°°^  '"/"^^^'  ^°  a°smooth'sur' 
as   much   of  T"^.  "P   'S°^  ^^^  """°^t  importance, 
surface   fraction     T/''^"'^"   °K?   hydroplane    is*^  due   to 
sunace    friction.     After   smoothing  up,    mve   the   hull    j. 
good  coat  of  wood  filler,  allow  if  to  dvTard    and  then 
sandpaper  again     Then  give  the  bottom  a  thorough  S 
of  varmsh   or   bottom   paint,   whichever  you   desfre      I 
would  be  wise  to  use  at  least  two,  or  better  three    coas 
of  varnish  or  of  bottom  paint,  but  since  this  prelfminarv 
coat  IS   given  merely   to   allow  us   to   put  on   the   brass    ' 
plane    and  since  the  parts  of  the  hull  that  are  not  cov 
ered  by  the  plane  can  be  finished   and  painted  "a ter   It 
woud  be  a  ted:ous  and  perhaps  unnecessary  delay  to  wa 
for  the  drying  of  these  successive  coats 

You  are  now  ready  to  put  on  the  brass  plane.  This  is 
made  of  hard  sheet  brass,  about  one-sixteen  h  of  an 
inch   thick      The   total   length   of  the  plane   is  4  feet  5 

Ztl-     ^^^  P""*''^"  °\  '^^  P'^"^  's  ^hown  on  the  in 
board  profile,  extending  from  the  fore  side  of  frame  No       ' 
6  to  the  after  side  of  frame  No.  4.    The  appearance  of  the 
step    formed    by    the    plane   is   shown    in'^a    sketch      As 
may  be  seen,  oak  wedges,  2  inches  deep  at  the  step    are 
spaced   about   5/.    inches   apart.     The   bottoms   of^these 
wedges  are  straight  Imes,   and  taper  out  to   nothing  at 
the  fore  side  of  frame  No.  6.     The  wede-e  at  the  k^^i  T= 
made  the  full  width  of  the  bottom  of  the'^Lel,  for  itti 
not  be  possible  to  get  one  sheet  of  brass  of  the  width  re- 
quired.    The  two  pieces  of  which  the  plane  must  be  com- 
posed come  together  down  the  middle  line  of  this  middle 
wedge  and  must  be  very  thoroughly  secured  to  this  wedge 
with  brass  screws,  spaced  not  over  an  inch  apart      The 
wedges  are  fastened  to  the  floors  of  frames  Nos   4  and  5 
by  long  brass  screws,  put  in  from  the  outside,  and  be- 
tween the  frame  screws  are  put  down  from  the  inside  of 
the  plank  into  the  wedges.     After  the  wedges  are  all  on 
fair  up  the  surface  defined  by  the  wedges  by  bending  a 
thin   strip    of  wood   over   them,    and   noting   whether   it 
lies  smoothly  over  all  the  strips.     Plane  up  the  bottoms 
of  the  wedges  until  you  can  do  this.    The  brass  plates  are 
next  secured  in  pace.    At  the  fore  edge  they  are  screwed 
through  the  plank  into  the  floor  on  frame  No.  6    using 
lyi-mch   brass    screws   spaced   as   shown   in   the   sketch 


44 


Ult^'fleff- 


MIDSHIP  SECTION 


Do  not  let  the  fore  edge  of  the  plane  into  the  plank, 
as  this  would  cause  weakness  at  this  point.  Simply  file 
it  down  at  a  bevel;  it  will  make  very  little  resistance, 
as  at  extreme  high  speeds  the  boat  will  practically  run 
on  the  plane  itself  and  not  on  the  forward  part  of  the 
planking.  The  planes  must  be  fastened  to  each  of  the 
wedges  by  brass  screws,  spaced  about  three  inches  apart 
along  the  line  of  the  wedge.  All  screwheads  should,  of 
course  be  flush.  Particular  care  must  be  taken  to  have 
the  fastening  at  the  forward  edge  of  the  plane  very 
carefully  done,  for  if  it  were  possible  for  the  wat-er  to 
force  its  way  under  this  plane,  it  would  soon  rip  it  off. 
The  after  part  of  the  plane  at  the  step  is  left  entirely 
open.  When  at  rest,  water  may  flow  into  the -space  be- 
tween the  outside  of  the  planking  and  the  upper  side  of 
the  plane,  but  as  soon  as  the  boat  is  under  way,  it  will 
drain  out.  If  you  wish  to  make  a  very  fancy  job,  set 
the  screw  heads  a  little  bit  below  the  level  of  the  brass, 
and  then  put  a  drop  of  solder  over  the  heads.  Next  file 
this  solder  down  flush,  but  there  is  no  great  need  of  doing 
this,  if  the  slots  in  the  screw  heads  are  all  placed  in  a 
fore  and  aft  line,  and  the  solder  would  be  a  great  hin- 
drance should  you  wish  to  remove  the  plane  to  get  at 
the  hull  underneath.  The  plane  should  be  finished  by 
being  polished  by  emery,  either  a  fine  emery  cloth  ■  or 
emery  flour. 


You  are  now  ready  to  tuin  the  hull  over  and  put  on 
the  deck.  The  beams  are  shown  on  the  molds,  which 
give  the  curvature  as  part  of  a  circle  having  a  certain 
radius.  These  circular  arcs  can  be  easily  drawn  in  by 
taking  a  long  strip  of  wood,  driving  a  wire  nail  into  one 
end  of  it,  measuring  off  the  required  radius  from  this 
nail,  and  drilling  a  small  hole  through  which  you  may 
put  the  point  of  a  pencil,  then  use  this  just  as  you  would 
a  compass  to  draw  the  arc.  The  top  of  the  clamp  and 
the  top  of  the  upper  side  plank  should  be  cut  to  carry 
out  the  curve  shown  by  the  beams.  The  general  scheme 
of  deck  construction  is  exactly  that  of  the  planking,  but 
the  material  is  somewhat  lighter,  and  is  of  the  size  shown 
on  the  midship  section. 

The  length  of  cockpit  shown  will  do  very  nicely  for  a 
40  or  50-h.p.  motor,  but,  of  course,  if  you  intend  to  install 
a  large  motor,  you  will  have  to  carry  the  cockpit  one 
frame  farther  forward.    This  is  something  that  you  can 
readily  determine  for  yourself,  and  depends  on  the  motor 
chosen.     Put  in  the  spruce  stringer  to  which  the  cockpit 
coaming  is  to  be  fastened,  making  it  1  inch  by  Wi  inches, 
and  running  it  in  the  notches  inside  of  the  upright  parts 
of  the  frames.     Run  this  stringer  only  between  the  beams 
at  fore  and  after  ends  of  the  cockpit.     Screw  this  stringer 
to  each  mold,  and  between  each  mold  and  the  consecutive 
one   put  in  two  short  blocks,  filling  the  space  between  the 
clamp  and  this  stringer.     Then  using  a  long  one-eighth- 
inch  rivet,  make  a  thorough  fastening  at  these  points  be- 
tween the  stringer  and  the  clamp.    At  the  fore  end  of  the 
cockpit,   pine  cornerpieces  about  2   inches   thick 
should    be    cut    out,    to    take    the    curve    of    the 
(kM-Kf^    cockpit.     If  you  are  experienced,  you  could  of 
•  ^'  ''f      course  change  the  fore  end  of  the  cockpit  to  the 
more    fashionable    flared    V    type    of    coaming. 
Fair    up    the    upper    edge    of    the    cockpit    stringer    to 
the  lines  indicated  by  the  beam  in  the  clamp,  and  then 
arrange  edge  battens  of  spruce  1  inch  wide  and  half  an 
inch  thick,  to  eo  under  the  edges  of  the  deck  plank,  as 
shown  on  am-.dship  section.     This  deck  is  shown  in  fairl> 
wide  pieces,  only  one-fourth  of  an  inch  thick,  and  shoulc 
be  easily  applied  if  the  battens  are  spaced  about  as  showr 
on  the  amidship  sections,  and  are  run  fore  and  aft,  practi 
cally  parallel  to  the  center  line  of.  the  boat.     Notches  foi 


n 


n 


HALF  SECTION,  FOBWARD 
FACE  OF   TEANSOM 


SECTION  AT  AFT  END  OF  STEP  LOOKING  FOEWAHD 


45 


T^ 


z. 


* 


%t$r':^ 


y^   "  ^/r^SS 


FASIENINe   AT  FOBE  EDGE   OF 
PLANE 


SKETCH    SHOWING 
HOW    NOTCHES 
IN   MOLDS   ARE 
TRIMMED  TO    - 
TAKE    C«INE    AND 
CLAMP 


SKETCH    SHOWING    CONNECTION    OF 

SEAM   BATTEN    TO    CHINE   OR 

CLAMP 


the  battens  should  be  cut  after  the  method  uSed  for  the 
edge  battens  of  the  plank.  The  deck  plank  should  be 
fastened  with  screws  and  rivets  similar  to  the  method  used 
on  the  planking.  Carry  the  planking  to  the  outside  of  the 
side  plank.  Then  trim  it  off  smoothly  and  fairly  with  the 
side,  covering  the  joipt  with  a  1-inch  haff  round  of 
mahogany.  A  deck  built  after  this  fashion  is  light, 
strong  and  tight,  but  is  not-  as  handsome  as  the  canvas 
deck,  or  the  deck  laid  in  narrew  pieces'. 

The  coaming  is  of  oak  or  mahogany,  J^  of  an  inch 
th'ck.  If  prine  or  cedar  is  used  for  p'lank  -and  deck,  oak 
might  be  used  for  the  coaming,  but  it  w6uld,  of  course, 
be  impossible  to  use  oak  on  a  mahogany  planked  boat. 
The  coaming  should  be  434  inches  above  the  deck  at  the 
fore  end,  3J^  inches  at  the  aft 'end.  The  detail  of- fitting 
the  coaming  is  extremely  simple,  and  space  prohibits 
going  into  it  in  this  article. 

Slatted  floors,  about  y%  of  an  inch  thick,  are  shown  on 
the  plan.  It  is  advisable  to  make  these  floors  so  that 
they  may  be  removed  in  sections,  as  in  this  way  you  will 
be  able  to  get  at  the  bottom  of  the  boat  without  ripping 
up  the  floor.  The  steering  wheel  of  the  simple  drum 
type  is  shown  placed  on  a  thwart,  an  arrangement  which 
gave  unusually  good  satisfaction  in  Water  Bug  and  is 
reproduced  here.  If  the  motor  is  exceptionally  long,  it 
niay  perhaps  be  necessary  to  dispense  with  this  thwart 
and  use  a  vertical  post  with  a  horizontal  steering  wheel 

In  getting  in  the  shaft  line,  fhe  approximate  position 
of  the  shaft  hole  is  readily  seen  from  the  drawing.  Bore 
a  comparatively  small  hole  at  about  the  position  shown, 
putting  on  a  small  btock  on  the  keel  to  start  the  hole 
through  the  shaft  at  the  bevel.  Then  from  a  point  at  the 
proper  distance  below  the  transom,  as  indicated  on  the 
drawing,  pass  a  wire  through  this  hole  to  the  point 
shown  on  the  mold  as  indicated,  stretching  the  wire  very 
tight.  Then  cut  out  around  this  hole,  until  it  is  large 
enough  to  clear  the  propeller  shaft  that  you  intend  to 
use.  The  shaft  line  shown  on  the  plans  will  take  an 
18-inch  or  19-inch  propeller.  If  you  intend  to  use  only 
a  16-inch  propeller,  it  is  advisable  to  decrease  the  shaft 
line  from  the  bottom  of  the  boat  at  the  transom  by  about 
an  inch.  Use  your  common  sense  in  making  these  allow- 
ances, as  it  is  impossible  to  design  a  hydroplane  to  carry 
any  old  size  of  motor,  and  have  everything  work  out 
to  certain  fixed  dimensions.  The  motor  bed  is  formed 
by  fore  and  aft  spruce  stringers,  set  on  the  floor  inside 
of  two  3-inch  by  li^-Jnch  spruce  stringers;  the  lighter 
stringers  run  the  full  length  of  the  boat,  and  are  fastened 


.  ^ce^e/Zcj-Ji^iA 


32. 


:T/rot//a/er 


ya/ber  /?. 


'ar/ber  rvr? 


b^^-^^^  lit 


o,^  -^'/^/Z'. 


/=i.^^//e/  ATev^ 


] 


METHOD   OF  SECURING  PROPELLER   TO   SHAFT 


to  the   floors   by  long   rivets  running  clear  through  the 
stringers    and    through    the    floors.      The    heavier    bed 
stringers  are  notched  over  the  floors  and  are  also  riveted 
to  them,  but  extend  only  the  length  required  by  tTie  motor 
and  reverse  gear. 

The  transmission  gear  to  drive  the  propeller  shaft  is  a 
thing  concerning  which  it  is  almost  impossible*- to  give 
definite  detailed  dimensions,  unless  the  motor  is  kno\yn, 
its  power  known,  in  order  to  estimate  the  stresses  which 
the  gear  must  withstand.  The  gear  should  be  made  by 
an  experienced  machinist  of  the  very  highest  class,  one ' 
accustomed  to  high  grade  automobile  construction  will 
know  about  what  is  required,  as  this  transmission  is 
similar  in  general  principle  and  in  thg  degree  of  skill 
required  in  its  manufacture  to  that  used  on  cars.  The 
case  should  be  of  aluminum,  about  one-fourth  of  an 
inch  thick,  for  a  50-hp.  motor  and  about  5/16  of  an  inch 
thick  for  a  100-hp.  motor.  Lugs  should  be  cast  at  the 
sides  to  carry  the  gear  on  a  foundation  built  to  receive  it. 
This  foundation,  although  it  need  not  be  extremely  long, 
should  be  very  substantial,  is  all  the  thrust  of  the  pro- 
peller comes  upon  it,  and  besides  that  it  is  under  con- 
siderable twist,  due  to  the  propeller  and  motor  torque. 
The  casing  should  have  both,  the  front  and  back  all  in 
one  casting,  as  a  much  more  accurate  machine  job  can 
be  obtained,  than  when  one  of  the  faces  is  made  as  a 
cover  plate  and  bolted  up  against  the  rest  of  the  casting. 
If  made  as  Suggested,  a  cover  plate  at  the  top  serves  to 
introduce  the  gears,  through  which  the  shafts  are  slipped 
afterward.  The  drawing-  shows  clearly  the  type  of  trans- 
mission gear,  advised.  It  is,  of  course,  of  the  ball-bearing 
type,  using  annular  ball-bearings  of  liberal  size.  The 
propeller  shaft  is  fitted  with  a  ball-thrust  bearing  for 
both  reverse  and  ahead  motion.  In  the,  gear  shown,  tjie 
upper  gear  on  the  motor  shaft  has  37  t-eeth  of  six  pitch ; 
the  lower  gear  has  36  teeth  of  6  pitch.  This  geat  is  suit- 
able for  about  a  60-hp.  motor.  The  gears  have  IJ^-inch 
face,  and  the  sbaCts  are  about  13/16  inches  in  diameter. 
The  gears  are  held  on  the  shafts  by  parallel  feather 
keys.  The  casing  is  of  aluminum,  Yn,  of  an  inch  thick. 
It  should  be  nOted  that  a  filling  plug  for  oil  is  placed  at 
the  top  of  the  casing,  a  drain  plug  at  the  bottom,  and  an 
oil  level  plug  at  the  side.  For  the  larger  powers  it  would 
be  advisable  to  use  gears  of  5  pitch  instead  of  6  pitch,  and 
always  make  the  number  of  teeth  on  the  two  gears  so 
that  they  are  numbers  that  are  prime  to  each  other.  If 
you  do  this,  then  every  tooth  on  one  gear  will  eventually 
come  into  every  space,  in  turn,  on  the  other  gear,  so 
that  wear  will  be  evenly  distributed.  The  gears  wear 
in  and  run  more  quietly  after  having  been  in  use  for  a 
time,  than  they  do  when  new.  If  the  gears  have  a  num- 
ber of  teeth,  such  that  they  are  divisible  by  the  same 
factor,  for  instance,  48  teeth  on  one  and  32  teeth  on 
the  other,  both  being  divisible  by  16,  this  distribution  of 
wear'  is  not  accomplished ;  the  gears  wear  unevenly,  and 
become  noisy.  The  gear  material,  the-  shafts  and  in  fact 
every  part  of  this  transmission  must  be  of  the  very  highest 
quality.  Special  alloy  steel  should  be  used  for  the  gear 
blanks,  and  after  being  accurately  cut,  they  should  be 
hardened.  In  designing  the  case .  for  the  gears,  be  sure 
to  leave  ample  clearance  all  around  the  gears,  in  order 


46 


to  prevent  your  transmission  from  actiiig  as  a  gear 
pump. 

A  universal  joint  is  shown  between  the  motor  and  the 
gear.  This  should  be  of  ample  size  and  is  quite  safe 
in  this  position,  as  it  takes  no  thrust  and  is  .run  at  a 
comparatively  small  angle.  Of  course  it  could  be  elimi- 
nated, provided  bevel  gears  at  the  proper  angle  were 
used  in  the  transmission  instead  of  spur  gears,  but  bevel 
gears  are  mucTi  more  expensive,  are  much  more  difficult 
to  fit  properly,  and  are  apt  to  run  noisily.  Then,  in  ad- 
dition, the  universal  joint  provides  for  a  certain  amount 
of  flexibility  between  the  motor  and  transmission,  which 
is  very  useful  in  hydroplane  construction. 

The  strut  and  rudder  present  no  unusual  features,  ex- 
cept that  the  rudder  is  hung  at  the  bottom  of  the  strut 
and  at  the  top  of  the  transom.  The  sizes  are  indicated 
it  the  joints.  The  strut  is  bolted  through  the  back  of 
the  transom,  one  bolt  at  the  back  of  the  large  palm  going 
through  the  knee  between  the  transom  ■and  keel.  The 
bottom  of  the  palm  is  wide,  and  has  two  bolts,  the  centers 
of  which  are  about  six  inches  apart,  and  go  through  the 
transom  into  an  oak  chock  about  10  iiiches  long  and  2 
in.ches  deep  by  2^4  inches  in  a  fore  and  aft  direction. 
These  bolts  should  be  about  ^  of  an. inch  in  diameter, 
and  should  be  of  bronze.  The  nuts  should  be  at  the  out- 
side, so  that  the  strut  may  be  removed,  without  crawling 


in  under  the  deck.  Sketches  sho;y  how  the  propeller 
wheel  may  be  applied  to  the  shaft,  either  using  a  straight 
bore  through  the  propeller,  with  a  small  shoulder  at  the 
fore  end  of  the  hub,  and  securing  the  wheel  by  a  key 
and  taper  pin,  or  by  using  a  tapered  bore  and  nuts  at  the 
fore  and  aft  ends  of  the  propeller  hub.  The  straight 
shaft  and  taper  pin  is  much  simpler,  but  it  is  much 
more  difficult  to  remove  a  propeller  than  when  the  tapered 
bore  and  nuts  are  used.  The  water  intake  should  be 
carried  near  the  garboard",  a  little  forward  of  the  step, 
going  down  through  the  brass  plane.  An  alternative 
arrangement  would  be  to  have  the  water  intake  project 
just  a  little  below  the  plane  coming  down  throtigh  the 
hull,  just  aft  of  the  step. 

For  those  who  desire  to  work  out  their  own  construc- 
tion, using  perhaps  a  lighter,  simpler  scheme,  the  line 
drawing  and  offset  table  are  given.  If  a  big,  heavy  motor 
is  to  be  used,  the  arrangement  will  work  out  better  if  the 
motor  is  placed  aft  and  the  crew  forward  of  the  motor, 
an  arrangement  which  possesses  many  advantages;  but 
in  working  out  such  an  arrangement,  it  is  necessary  to 
know  the  definite  motor  weight,  and  should  -any  of  the 
readers  desire  to  use  this  arrangement,  I  shall  be  glad 
to  advise  them  where  the  center  of  the  motor  weight 
should  be  placed  if  they  will  furnish  the  necessary  data 
regarding  the  motor  sizes  and  actual  motor  weight. 


/y/7/r<r  c/rs£-  or  /ri'^'^/yvv^ 


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J<-r^*«  ^4^ifUfA  yf-^y^^-^ 


TRANSMISSION   OEAB  AMB   CASINO  FOS  6U-HP.H0T0B  AT  1500   S.P.H. 


47 


How  To  Build  "Sunfish 


99 


By  C.  G.  Davis 


WE  have  told  how  to  build  short,  big-bodied  motor- 
boats  where  all  styJe  has  been  eliminated  in  order 
to  give  the  biggest,  roomiest  boats  for  their  size 
with  no  regard  particularly  for  any  set  style,  but  now 
in  SunAsh  we  are  going  to  give  instructions  for  building 
a  good-looking  day  craiser.  By  day  cruiser  we  mean  a 
boat  that  has  deck  room  enough  to  enable  one  to  move 
about,  a  big  cockpit,  a  cabin  top  at  a  convenient  height 
to  sit  upon  and  enjoy  the  breeze,  and  yet  with  cabin  space 
enough  for  two  or  even  three  to  sleep  if  they  want  to  go 
cruising.  But  she  is  not  like  a  raised  deck  cruiser — a 
house  inside 

With  such  a  boat  as  Sunfish  one  can  run  up  to  a  float 
ahd  she  is  not  so  high-sided  that  you  will  need  a  side 
ladder  to  get  ashore;  you  can  easily  jump  or  step  from 
Sunfish  onto  an  ordinary  float.  Such  a  boat  does  not 
chase  all  over  the  creek  at  her  moorings,  but  will  ride 
head-on  at  anchor,  and  though  some  may  call  her  a  bit 
old-fashioned,  if  she  suits  the  purpose  better  than  a  raised 
decked  boat  why  not  have  her  so.  Both  bow  and  stern 
lines  can  be  handled  easily  en  such  a  boat. 

Her  model  is  just  a  clean,  easy  lined  hull — nothmg  ex- 
traordinary, no  startling  features  to  attract  attention,  but 
a  good  sensible  hull,  plain  and  useful,  yet  of  rather  grace- 
ful proportions.  On  a  length  of  32  feet  overall  she  is 
29  feet  10  inches  long  on  the  waterline,  8  feet  beam, 
dnd  draws  2  feet  i  inch  of  water.  She  has  about  2  feet 
freeboard  at  the  lowest  point,  about  the  middle  of  her 
cockpit;  2  feet  7  inches  at  the  center  of  her  stern,  and 
with  the  spray  boards  on  her  forward  deck  is  4  feet  3 
inches  above  the  water  at  the  stem.  She  will  float  a  total 
weight  of  5,400  pounds  at  the  waterline  as  drawn,  her 
center  of  buoyancy  there  being  just  6  inches  aft  of  mold 
No.  5,  or  i6  feet  6  inches  from  the  edge  of  the  stem.  She 
will  swing  a  20-inch  propeller,  and  with  a  10  to  15-hp. 
motor  she  will  make  a  good  8  or  9  miles  an  hour.  She 
will  prove  an  easy  boat  to  steer  on  a  straight  course,  and 
yet  will  be  prompt  to  answer  her  helm  in  turning. 

Nobody  builds  a  boat  nowadays  as  they  used  to.  Lum- 
ber can  now  be  ordered  at  the  lumber  yard  or  saw  mill 
in  the  sizes  desired,  and  you  don't  have  to  hew  and  chop 
them  out  by  hand,  so  the  tools  needed  are  mostly  just  a 
carpenter's  outfft.  I  dofi't  mean  by  that  just  a  hammer 
and  a  saw,  but  such  a  kit  as  every  carpenter  is  supposed 
to  have.  Such  tools  as  the  oldtime  broad  "axe  and  whip 
saw  are  not  required. 

You  can  order  a  stick  for  the  keel  and  get  it  already 
dressed — as  they  term  planed  lumber — to  the  size  desired, 
but  let  me  warn  you  right  now,  if  you  do  order  it  dressed 
be  sure  to  mark  it  down  in  big  letters  that  you  want  the 
keel  to  be  3  inches  by  4  inches  after  it  is  dressed.  Other- 
wise you  will  get  a  stick  that  was  3  by  4  in  the  rough,  and 
it  will  be  2%  by  3^  when  you  get  it.    The  stick  for  this 


boat's  keel  must  be  28  feet  long  and  good  for  every  inch, 
not  a  28-foot  pjece  with  a  foot  of  the  end  bad. 

For  the  stem  you  want  either  an  oak  or  a  hackmatack 
knee,  square  or  a  trifle  out  square  in  its  crook,  3  inches 
thick,  without  any  skewgee  or  twist  to  it,  with  one  arm 
5  feet  long,  the  other  3  feet,  and  thick  enough  in  the 
throat  to  allow  your  stem  being  cut  from  it.  It  is  safer 
to  wait  until  you  have  drawn  out  the  shape  of  your  stem 
and  made  a  J^-inch  wooden  pattern  of  it.  By  trying  this 
pattern  on  the  knee  as  you  are  selecting  it,  you  can  see 
if  it  is  large  enough  or  not. 

There  is  one  thmg  particularly  needed  m  building  any 
boat  and  that  is  a  clear  head.  Stop  and  think  out  your 
work  and  don't  believe  the  time  spent  in  planning  and 
laying  out  the  work  carefully  is  lost.  It's  all  simple 
enough  if  you  don't  try  to  go  too  fast  and  get  all  con- 
fused. In  laying  out  the  stem,  as  an  example,  the  outline 
of  it  is  simple  enough,  but  to  tell  how  to  bevel  it  ofif  looks 
puzzling  to  the  novice  at  first.  Look  at  the  plan  showing 
the  waterline's  shape.  As  each  waterline  ends  forward 
at  the  stem  it  comes  in  at  a  different  angle.  If  you  have 
laid  the  boat's  lines  down  full  size  on  the  floor  vou  can, 
with  a  bevel  square,  set  that  instrument  or  tool  to  that 
bevel  and  cut  the  stem  until  it  fits.  Each  waterline  from 
the  deck  down  gets  sharper  and  sharper.  By  spacing  off 
these  waterlines  on  your  wood  you  can  cut  at  each  until 
you  have  it  beveled  to  just  what  the  lines  call  for.  Don't 
bring  the  edge  of  the  stem  to  a  feather  edge,  but  have  it 
about  ^  of  an  inch  wide  to  take  a  metal  stem  band. 

The  rabbet  for  the  ends  of  the  planking  can  be  cut  the 
same  way  by  the  use  of  the  bevel  or  by  taking  a  little 
piece  of  yi-'mch  pine  board  about  a  foot  long  and  3  inches 
wide  and  cutting  a  notch  so  half  of  one  edge  is  ^  inch 
wider  than  the  other  half.  This  J^-inch  projection  rep- 
resents the  thickness  of  the  planking.  Chisel  out  the  rab- 
bet until  this  template  fits  on  the  face  of  the  stern  and 
the  notched  part  fits  snug  in  the  rabbet.  Another  way  is 
to  wait  until  the  molds  are  all  set  up  and  then  bend  a 
batten  around  them  and  cut  the  rabbet  so  the  end  of -this 
batten  fits  true  in  the  rabbet.  The  only  objection  to  this 
is  that  it  is  more  difficult  to  work  in  that  position,  standing 
upright,  than  it  is  wh«-e  you  can  lay  the  stem  flat  on  a 
floor  or  over  a  pair  on  wooden  horses  and  sit  on  it  and 
chisel  cut  the  rabbet. 

The  after  deadwood  can  be  made  either  in  one  piece  or 
built  up  of  smaller  ones.  _  If  cut  from  one  piece,  which  is 
more  desirable,  it  takes  a  piece  of  4-inch  wood  18  inches 
wide  and  6  feet  8  inches  long.  If  built  up  of  several  pieces 
the  upper  part  can  be  made  from  a  4  foot  piece  of  4-inch 
by  6-inch  oak,  and  the  shaft  log  from  a  2-foot  piece  of 
4-inch  by  6-inch  oak,  and  the  deadwood  below  it  from  a 
4-foot  piece  of  4-inch  by  6-inch  oak.  The  three  must  be 
jointed  to  a  perfect  seam  where  they  meet  and  bolted  to- 


49 


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gether  with  rods  of  j4-inch  diameter  galvanized  iron  or 

copper.  You  can  buy  this  rod  iron  in  12  to  14-foot  lengths 
and  also  the  clinch  rings  that  go  over  the  ends  where  you 
rivet  them  up,  hut  be  sure  to  get  wrought-iron  clinch 
rings  and  not  the  brittle  cast-iron  ones. 

In  some  localities  it  may  be  difficult  to  obtain  a  knee 
large  enough  to  cut  th6  stem  from  it.  If  so,  it  can  be 
built  up  in  two  pieces  justas  the  after  deadwood,  using  a 
straight  piece  of  oak  5  feet  long,  a  foot  wide  and  3  inches 
thick  for  the  stem  proper  and  back  of  it  a  small  knee 
about  2  feet  long  oil  its  arms,  as  showii  in  the  acCbnipany- 
ing  sketches. 

'  It  is  to  be  supposed  that  a  man  who  undertakes  to  build 
Sunfish  has  had  some  experience  in  the  use  of  wood-work- 
ing tools,  and  that  he  will  know  enough  to  be  able  to 
bore  a  bolt  hole  without  choking  his  auger  and  in  joint- 
ing up  the  deadwoods  will  square  up  the  edges  always 
from  the  face  side  so  that  when  the  various  pieces  come  to 
be  bolted  together  they  will  set  true  and  level  one  on  top 
of  the  other  and  not  be  canted  or  staggered  out  of  the 
vertical.  Such  A,  B,  C  principles  a  man  is  presumed  to 
know  when  he  tackles  the  building  of  this  boat.  The 
short  sternpost  is  fitted  dovetail  to  the  after  end  of  the 
shaft  log  so  that  the  lag  screws  that  are  to  hold  the  stern 
bearing  will  have  crossgrained  wood  to  hold  to  instead 
of  end  grain. 

The  bore  of  the  shaft  hole  is  so  short  that  there  should 
be  no  difficulty  experienced  in  getting  it  through  a  solid 
log  and  so  do  away  with  the  seam  along  the  line  of  the 
shaft  that  would  be  there  if  the  log  were  made  up  of  two 


pieces  with  the  shaft  hole  gouged  half  out  of  each.  That 
is  the  way  they  are  often  built  where  there  is  a  long 
deadwood  to  go  through- and  in  attempting  to  bore  which 
the  auger  will  often  run  off  to  one  side  or  the  other.  Here 
the  hole  is  only  22  inches  long  in  the  wood,  a  very  .easy 
job  to  bore. 

As  you  work  out  each  piece,  scratch  center  marks  and 
be  sure  that  you  set  these  marks  all,  true  when,  after 
painting  the  two  faces  that  come  together,  you  rivet  the 
stem  and  deadwood  to  the  keel.  Countersink ,  the  bolt- 
heads  on  the  underside  of  the  keel  far  enough  to  get  a 
wooden  plug  dipped  in  white  lead  over  them  and  so  leave 
a  flush,  smooth  job  on  the  outside. 

With  the  keel,  stem  and  deadwood  all  together  we  have 
the  backbone  of  the  boat  ready  to  set  up  and  as  the  fair- 
ness of  the  boat  depends  on  her  being  held  rigidly  to  the 
desired  shape  while  in  the  course  of  construction,  be  care- 
ful to  get  the  shores,  or  short  posts  of  wood  that  are 
to  hold  her  keel,  true  to  the  measurements  given  above 
the  floor — and  don't  trust  to  the  floor's  being  true ;.  stretch 
a  chalk  line  very  tight  and  measure  up  again  to  see  that 
all  is  right  before  you  set  the  keel  up  on  them. 

Set  all  the  shores  to  a  chalk  line  snapped  down -on  the 
board  floor  if  you  are  building  her  in  a  shed;  if  out  in 
the  weather,  first  where  each  shore  is  to  come  shovel 
away  the  loose  top  soil  and  sink  a  "deadman"  just  as  a 
railroad  tie  is  begged  in  the  ground,  tamp  it  down  solid 
and  then  set  your  shores  up  on  these.  It  is  a  great  handi- 
cap to  have  to  build  out  of  doors.  In  a  shed  or  shop  you 
can  run  the  braces  to  hold  the  head  of  the'  stem  plumb 


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up  out  of  the  way  to  the  rafters  overhead,  which  you  can't 
do  on  the  ground.  It  prevents  a  lot  of  stumbling  and 
dodging  around  the  shores.  Give  the  keel  >a  coat  of  l«ad 
colored  paint  to  preserve  it  where  it  is  securely  braced  up 
plumb  and  true. 

Then  get  out  your  molds  and  as  these  are  only  temporary 
a  cheap  grade  of  pine  about  an  inch,  or  better  yet,  an 
inch  and  a  quarter  thick  can  be  used.  To  shape  all 
these  by  hand  with  a  drawknife  and  saw  is  a  tedious 
operation ;  if  tliere  is  any  place  where  you  can  get  access 
to  a  band  sa\y  for  an  hour  or  so  you  could  easily  saw 
out  the  various  pieces  and  put  them  together  at  home. 
Where  you  have  to  join  two  pieces  together  butt  one  against 
the  other  and  then  nail  or  screw  with  iron  screws  a  cleat 
across  the  two  to  hojd  them.  Keep  all  cleats  and  braces 
on  the  same  side.  Let  the  top  end  of  each  mold  extend 
up  four  to  six  inches  above  the  true  sheer  line  so  that  you 
can  run  a  batten  up  above  this  line  and  can  leave  it 
there  until  after  you  have  the  topstrake  on  to  keep  her 
deck  edge  fair  and  true.  It  is  not  necessary  to  bevel  the 
molds ;  you  do  that-  by  setting  each  of  the  molds  forward 
of  the  center,  4,  3,  2  and  i,  so  the  smooth  side  of  the 
mold  faces  aft  and  is  just  flush  with  the  mold  marks  on 
the  keel,- and  the  after  ones  6,  7  and  8,. the  reverse  way; 
by  this  the  smooth  edge  represents  the  true  shape  re- 
quired and  when  you  put  the  battens  on  chisel  away  and 
bevel  the  mold's  edge  until  it  fits  flat  against  the  mold. 

Be  very  careful  to  set  each  mold  exactly  to  its  mark  and 
to  set  it  and  brace  it  perfectly  plumb.  If  the  under  side 
of  the  cross-spall — the  wooden  brace  across  the  top  of 
the  mold — be  planed  up  true  before  it  is  fastened  to  the 
mold  it  will  be  found  of  great  assistance  in  setting  the 
mold  level.  You  can  hold  a  spirit  level  up  under  this 
edge  and  tap  the  mold  to  one  side  or  another  until  the 
bubble  sights  true  in  the  center  of  the  level,  and  the 
plumb  bob,  hanging  from  the  center  marks  on  the  cross- 
spall,  is  plumb  over  the  center  scratch  line  along  the 
top  of  the  keel. 

Keep  all  the  braces  you  can  up  overhead  so  that  they 
will  not  interfere  with  your  working  around  the  boat,  and 
cross  them  X  shaped,  as  they  go  up  to  the  rafters;  by 
this  arrangement  you  can  get  a  more  rigid  brace  than  if 
they  simply  go  straight  up  from  the  head  of  the  mold. 
The  whole  business  could  swing  like  a  parallel  ruler  that 
way,  but  the  X  brace  is  firm. 

Before  you  can  run  the  ribbands  around  you  need  the 
transom,  the  shape  of  the  face  of  which  is  given  along 
with  the  mold  shapes.  Do  not  cut  it  out  to  this  shape 
however,  as,  due  to  the  bevels,  it' needs  to  be  an  inch -and 
a  quarter  wider  on  the  bottom  edge  but  no  larger  across 
the  top  where  it  bevels  under  from  the  line,  and  around 
the  edge  it  may  even  take  more.  With  sufficient  wood 
left  outside  the  line  you  can,  after  bending  the  curvature 
in  the  face  of  the  transom,  clamp-screw  it  to  the  small 
knee  and  by  bending  battens  around  the  molds  cut  and 
fit  it  accurately.-'  All  these  bevels  could,  be  laid  out  on 
the  floor  in  the  full-sized  drawing,  but  it  goes  into  aMot 
of  projection  and  drawing,  too  difficult  to  attempt  to  ex- 
plain here.  Motorboat  Handbooks,  volumes  i  and  2,  will 
Tielpi  the  amateur  over  a  number  of  difficulties,  as  there 
pre  spftial  articles  in  these  books  on  laying  down  a  set 
of  lines,  how  to  project  a  transom,  an  explanation  of  the 
meaning-  of  a  Table  of  Offsets,  an  article  on  how  to  cut 
the  rabbet  Une,  etc. 

The  transom  is  shpwn  drawn  to  the  outside  of  the 
planking.  If  you  are  going:  to  let  the  plank  fit  flat  against 
the  edge  of  it  you  will  have  to  take  off  the  thickness  of 
the  plank  from  the  shape  shown,  but  as  that  does  not 
look  very  neat  on  a  job  of  this  kind,  due  to  the  curve 
in  the  face  of  the  transom,  it  would  be  better  to  bevel  the 
front  edge  of  the  transom  so  that  the  plank  ends  make  a 
seam  right  around  the  corner  and  are  fastened  to  oak 
backing  pieces  screwed  fast  to  the  inside  of  the  transom 
around  the  edee? 


53 


^ktii  A'CS 


^h&  Anee  if  stem 
/s  made,  from  a 
9traii)ht  stick 


t  Lifie 


3'-o- 


Uppey  jJ^efch  j/iouis  c/eaa^oi/ood/  a//  cu/'  oott  of 
one  piece  o^  oak     Lowsr  5kstc/i  jhows 
hoou  //  may  loe  bo<i/t  up  o/'  jei/era  I 
stmat/er pieces  £Jo/tea/  fac^ether 


This  particular  job  is  one  of  the  hardest  in  thfe  whole 
construction  of  Sunfish.  Anyone  who  can  figure  out  this 
transom  and  make  a  neat  job  need  have  no  fear  of  any 
Other  part  of  the  worlt.  Apply  the  bevels  as  you  take 
them,  is  the  keynote. 

The  curve  to  the  transom  should  be  bent  in  it  first. 
Steam  the  boards  well  in  a  steam  box  and  then  clamp 
them  over  a  mold  built  for  that  purpose  with  about  an 
inch  more  curve  than  you  want;  it  will  always  straighten 
back  a  little,  so  put  more  curve  in  than  you  need. 

Another  way  to  build  this  transom  is  to  bend  about  a 
Yn  or  %-inch  transom  and  level  the  edges  so  that  the 
plank  ends  go  right  past,  flat-footed  on  its  edges,  then  trim 
off  these  projecting  plank  ends  to  receive  a  J/2-inch  oak 
or  mahogany  facing-piece  and  bend  and  fit  in  this  tran- 
som, fastening  it  with  screws,  plugged,  to  the  inner  rough 
transom.  Be  careful  to  set  the  transom  up  perfectly  level 
when  you  bolt  or  rivet  it  to  the  knee  that  holds  it  to  the 
deadwood. 

When  this  is  shored  securely,  and  it  is  usually  held  by 
two  stout  timbers  spread  out  like  a  pair  of  legs  to  the 
floor  to  hold  it  up  and  forward  at  the  same  time,  you  are 
ready  to  bend  around  the  ribbands. 

First  run  the  sheer  ribband — about  a  2-inch  square  strip 
of  clear  spruce — in  one  length  if  you  can  get  it ;  if  not, 
join  two  pieces  together  by  nailing  a  piece  outside  and 
lapping  over  the  two  ends  where  they.  butt.  Don't  at- 
fempt  to  scarph  and  rivet  the  two  pieces  of  a  batten  to- 
gether Sometimes  another  batten  is  bent  outside  of  the 
first  at  the  deck  edge,  as  that  is  a  very  important  part  of 
the  boat  to  keep  absolutely  fair  and  true.  At  intervals 
of  about  6  inches  run  other  ribbands  fore  and  aft  from 
bow  to  stern.     They  will,  of  csurse,  be  close  together  at 


the  ends  and  once  in  a  while  the  ends  can  be  left  out  by 
using  a  shorter  batten  amidships. 

Where  there  is  a  short  curve  in  the  frames,  put  the 
battens  closely  together,  and  where  they  are  flatter  spread 
the  battens.  Use  square-headed  coach  or  lag  screws,  turn- 
ing them  in  with  a  monkey  wrench  after  first  drilling  a 
hole  so  they  will  not  split  the  wood  and  put  a  flat-iron 
washer  under  the  head  of  each  one  so  that  you  can  pull 
the  ribbands  up  wood  to  wood  without  having  the  bolt- 
head  bury  itself  in  the  ribband. 

She  will  begin  to  look  very  much  like  a  boat  when  you 
get  her  this  far  along,  and  by  standing  off  a  way  you 
can  see  just  what  her  shape  is  going  to  look  like.  If,  in 
putting  on  the  ribbands,  the  molds  do  not  seem  to  be  fair, 
don't  go  and  cut  one  mold  to  let  the  ribband  in  so  it  will 
touch  the  next,  until  you  have  carefully  looked  along  the 
batten  and  tried  your  measurements.  It  may  be  all  that 
is  needed  is  to  plane  down  the  ribband  a  little,  reduce  it 
in  size,  or  taper  one  end,  and  it  may  then  bend  in  and 
still  show  a  fair,  easy  curve. 

No  designer  would  think  of  trying  to  bend  all  the  curves 
that  make  up  a  set  of  lines  for  a  boat  with  one  kind  of  a 
batten.  They  have  many  differently  proportioned  battens, 
some  like  your  ribbands,  all  one  size  throughout  their 
length;  some  larger  in  the  middle  than  they  are  at  each 
end;  some  large  at  one  end  and  gradually  diminishing 
all  the  way  to  the  other  end.  So  graduate  your  battens, 
if  they  are  too  stubborn,  and  don't  blame  the  designer. 

In  the  next  number  we  shall  start  in  and  frame  up  the 
hull  and  proceed  to  plank  her. 


54 


How  To  Build  "Sunfish" 


By  C.  G.  Davis 
Part  II 


WE  knocked  off  work  last  issue  with  the  molds  and 
ribbands  all  in  place  ready  for  framing  up  Sunfish. 
Before  you  proceed  to  frame  her,  see  that  all  the 
seams  that  cross  the  rabbet  hue  are  fitted  with  what  are 
called  "stop-waters."  With  a  half  inch  bitt  bore  so  that 
it  cuts  half*out  of  each  side  of  the  seam  and  drive  in  a 
white  pme  dowel  so  that  any  water  attempting  to  flow  up 
this  seam  and  cause  a  leak  will  swell  up  this  pine  dowel 
and  prevent  the  water  from  going  through 

You  need  steam  and  a  steam  box  to  bend  the  frames,  of 
which  there  are  forty  pairs,  each  frame  being  about  7  feet 
long  and  1J/2  by  Ij4  mches.  though  there  is  an  advantage 
in  having  them  square,  say  V/z  inches,  in  that  as  you  grab 
the  hot  frame  from  the  sleam  box  you  can  bend  it  on  either 
of  the  four  faces,  whichever  shows  the  most  likely  way  to 
stand  the  strain.  I  have  specified  them  deeper  than  they 
are  wide  for  this  reason  The  grain  of  the  frame  should 
be  bent  so  that  the  plank  fastenings  go  through  the  layers 
of  wood  and  not  through  between  the  layers  of  the  grain 
wedging  apart,  as  it  were,  the  layers  of  wood.  If  they  are 
sawed  out  so  that  ih^  grain  would  be  across  when  cut  on 
the  narrow  face  you  could  never  make  a  mistake  in  get- 
ting the  grain  right  whichever  one  of  the  two  narrow  faces 
you  bent  against  the  ribbands 

Many  people  like  to  bend  the  frames  "on  the  flat''  be- 
cause they  are  easier  to  bend  that  way  but  for  the  good  of 
the  boat  they  should  be  bent  on  edge,  as  that  is  the  way 
they  have  to  resist  the  strains 

An  odd  pair  of  gloves  will  be  found  very  useful  in^ hand- 
ling the  hot  frames  You  need  a  number  of  6  or  8-inch 
screw  clamps  and  some  one  to  hand  you  the  frames  from 
the  steam-box  Put  the  heel  or  lower  end  of  the  frame 
on  the  keel,  your  knee  in  the  middle  of  the  frame,  and 
bend  it  just  as  if  you  were  bending  a  bow  to  string  it — 
bend  it  gently  but  steadily  into  place,  and  if  you  have  a 
helper,  which  would  be  advisable,  let  him  start  to  clamp 
the  frame  to  the  lower  ribbands  as  you  bend  it  down 
against  them  and  follow  on  up  to  the  turn  of  the  bilge. 
If  the  frames  are  not  steamed  enough  they  will  break,  and 
if  they  are  of  poor  quality  they'll  break  anyway  Rock  elm 
makes  a  line  frame  as  it  bends  with  very  little  breakage 
and  is  strong  besides. 

Space  off  along  on  the  keel  and  ribbands  where  the 
frames  are  to  go  and  mark  with  chalk  so  when  you  are 
working  fast  with  a  hot  framfe  you  can  see  just  where  each 
should  go  to  have  them  evenly  spaced.  Hold  the  heads  of 
the  frames  well  in  to  give  the  round,  tumble-home  curve  at 
the  deck.  They  are  liable  to  straighten  back,  anyway,  as 
they  cool  off 

When  they  have  cooled  you  can  nail  them  to  the  rib- 
bands and  remove  the  screw  clamp  to  use  elsewhere.  Put 
the  nails  in  slanting  through  the  edge  of  the  ribband  into 


the  face  of  the  frame.  Don't  nail  through  the  side  of  the 
frame  from  the  inside  of  the  boat  into  the  ribband,  for 
you  will  scar  the  sides  of  the  frames. 

By  bending  frames  in  hot  this  way  you  twist  them  with 
a  monkey  wrench  so  they  lay  flat  ready  to  receive  the 
planking  without  beveling  them. 

The  heels  of  the  frames  should  be  cut  so  that  they  butt 
flat  together  at  the  center  of  the  keel  and  have  a  slice  taken 
off  the  under  corner  so  that  instead  of  the  square  corner 
of  the  frame  touching  the  top  of  the  keel  they  will  fit  flat 
on  top  of  it  out  to  the  edge  where  the  rabbet  is  beveled 
off  to  receive  the  edge  of  the  garboard. 

Drill  a  hole  down  through  the  frame  and  drive  a  2-inch 
galvanized  boat  nail  through  into  the  keel  at  the  heel  ot 
each  frame.  Then  take  some  lyS^-mzh  oak  boards  4  inches 
wide.  Lay  them  on  edge  over  the  top  of  the  keel  and  mark 
out  the  shape  by  running  a  pencil  along  the  outside  of  the 
frames,  marking  this  angle  on  the  board.  Then  saw  out 
this  shape,  or,  clamping  the  board  in  a  vise,  rip  it  off  with 
a  draw  knife  and  true  it  up  with  a  plane.  Fit  the  floors  for- 
ward of  amidships  forward  of  the  frames,  and  those  aft 
aft  of  the  frames.  You  can  then  bevel  this  floor  off  so 
that  it  gives  an  additional  surface  to  which  to  nail  the 
planking. 

Rivet  each  floor  to  its  frame  with  three  round  wire  cop- 
per nails  riveted  over  burrs  on  each  side.  Keep  the 
upper  edges  of  all  these  floors  in  a  true  line  so  that  the 
keelson  will  not  require  much  cutting  and  fitting  when 
you  run  it  fore  and  aft  over  them. 

Away  up  in  the  ends  where  the  frames  make  a  sharp  'V, 
use  wider  boards  to  cut  the  floors  out  of  and  shape  them 
down  on  the  top  or  take  an  oak  knee,  slabbed  up  into 
i^-inch  thickness,  and  get  floors  with  a  natural  crook  to 
them. 

The  keelson,  a  3-inch  square  yellow  pine  stick.  24  feet 
long,  is  theji  bent  down  on  top  of  these  cross  floors  and 
held  securely  in  place  exactly  over  the  keel  until  you  bore 
holes  with  a  long  3^-inch  auger  bitt  through  keelson,  floor 
and  about  3  inches  into  the  keel.  Measure  the  exact  lengths 
with  a  sliver  of  wood  and  cut  corresponding  lengths  of 
^-inch  galvanized  iron  rod  for  drift  bolts.  Tap  a  slight 
head  on  one  end  by  clamping  it  in  a  vise  and  using  a  ball 
pene  hammer — a  machinist's  riveting  hammer — to  spread 
the  metal.  Then  put  a  galvanized  riveting  ring  over  the 
end  of  it  and  drive  the  bolt  home.  One  of  these  at  each 
floor  will  hold  her  backbone  solid  as  a  rock,  and  if  the  keel- 
son ends  lap  onto  the  deadwoods  forward  and  aft  and  are 
bolted  fast  there  the  whole  forms  a  very  rigid  truss. 

The  molds  have  to  be  removed  to  get  in  this  keelson  and 
the  other  long  fore-and-aft  stringers,  but  as  you  knock 
them  out  after  unscrewing  the  fastenings  into  the  battens 
put  up  temoorary  braces  to  the  ceiling  to  replace  those  that 


55 


56 


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l\ 


held  the  molds,  and  nail  cross  braces  to  hold  the  frame 
apart  to  its  proper  width  at  each  mold  space. 

Measure  carefully  just  where  the  top  edge  of  the  6  x  iJ/$- 
inch  yellow  pine  clamp  is  to  come,  which  is  the  thickness 
of  the  deck  %-inch  and  the  depth  of  the  frame  i>4-inch 
below  the  deck  edge ;  2%  inches  in  all.  This  clamp  is  the 
binder  that  holds  the  top  ends  of  all  the  frames  true  into 
line.  Although  it  is  6  inches  deep  in  the  middle,  it  should 
be  tapered  to  about  4  inches  in  depth  at  the  ends,  and  if 
you  have  a  power  planer  handy,  its  thickness  might  be 
reduced  to  i]4  or  lyi  inch  at  the  ends  to  help  it  bend,  for 
it  makes  a  pretty  stubborn  piece  to  handle.  Steam  it  well 
before  you  try  to  bend  it  in  place  and  you  can  then  edge 
set  it  up  or  down,  as  you  will  find  you  have  to,  due  to  the 
tumble-home  of  the  topsides,  which  point  the  ends  down. 
It  takes  two  pieces  32  feet  long  to  get  out  these  clamps,  or 
one  piece  of  4  x  6-inch  stuff  ripped  in  two. 

There  are  two  brlge  clamps  oh  each  side  of  3  x  6-inch 
yellow  pine,  and  though  they  may  be  a  foot  or  so  shorter, 
it  would  pay  to  order  them  all  the  same  length,  32  feet,  as 
the  saw-mill  would  probably  have  to  rip  them  all  out  of  one 
big  piece  of  yellow  pine  to  get  the  length. 

Use  ^-inch  galvanized  carriage  bolts  to  pull  the  clamp 
and  bilge  stringers  snug  to  the  frames  at  every  other  frame 
and  then,  when  you  bend  the  shelf  in  against  the  clamp, 
put  a  through  bolt  at  every  other  frame  clean  through  the 
whole  lot,  frame,  clamp  and  shelf.  This  will  give  a  stiff, 
rigid^  deck  edge  that  will  resist  any  bangs  she  may  get 
alongside  a  dock. 

Cut  the  forward  ends  of  these  clamps  and  stringers  so 
that  they  butt  flat  up  against  the  stern  and  transom. 

Frame  .the  deck  before  you  start  in  to  plank  her  up  and 
it  will  be  easier  to  work.  The  deck  beams. are  all  cut  round- 
ing with  a  "crown"  or  curve  of  5  inches  in  7  feet.  Saw 
the  deck  beams  out.  Don't  bend  them.  Bent  ones  have  a 
way  of  flattening  down  again  and  there  are  not  very  many 
of  them.  Cut  a  wide  thin  board  so  that  it  forms  a  "she"' 
pattern  of  this  curve,  and  by  trying  this  pattern  at  inter- 
vals along  her  deck  you  can  make  sure  of  getting  all  the 
short  beams  along  the  cabin  space  set  true  to  the,curve. 

The  deck  beams  are  ^  x  i>4-inch  with  an  esAra  heavy 
ono  at  the  forward  end  of  the  cabin  and  at  the  after  end 
of  ti.c  cockpit  where  the  deck  ends.  These  beams  should 
be  about  ij^  by  2  or  2j4  inches.  Nail  each  of  these  deck 
beams  fast  to  the  clamp  with  a  long,  galvanized  iron  wire 
nail  and  under  the  inboard  ends  of  them  run  a  piece  of 
spruce  3  inches  deep  by  2  inches  thick  fore  and  aft  and 
nail  them  fast  to  it. 

Go  carefully  over  the  frames  with  a  batten  before  you 
start  to  plank  and  see  that  all  the  frames  are  true.  Shave 
off  a  little  here  and  there  wherever  a  frame  presents  a  hard 
edge,  and  when  you  are  sure  the  frame  is  all  true,  start 
and  plank  her  up. 

It  will  take  about  500  square  feet  of  J^-inch  cedar  boards 
to  do  this.  Buy  "dressed" — as  planed-up  lumber  is  called — 
and  insist  on  good,  clear  lumber.  You  can't  expect  to  get 
cedar  without  knots,  but  shun  all  sap,  which  is  the  bluish 
cast  found  near  the  edges  inside  the  bark.  Knots  are  solid 
but  the  sap  turns  to  a  soft  punk  that  is  apt  t^  produce 
leaks.  All  small  knots  that  show  a  black  ring  around  them 
should  be  reamed  out  after  the  boat  is  planked  and  wooden 
plugs  dipped  in  shellac  driven  in  and  sawed  off  flush. 

There  is  no  royal  road  to  planking  up  a  boat.  I  have 
had  many  people  ask  me  if  they  can't  make  one  pattern, 
and  get  a  mill  to  saw  them  all  out  for  them,  th'at  will  plank 
up  the  whole  boat.  You  cannot  do  this.  Every  plank  re- 
quires a  different  shape,  though  the  one  pattern  will,  of 
course,  do  for  both  sides. 

Take  a  "spiling,"  as  boat  builders  call  it,  for  the  top 
strake.  For  this  you  want  some  very  thin  planks — about 
six  in  all — 14  to  16  feet  long,  say  6  to  8  inches  wide,  and 
about  ^-inch  thick.  Tack  this  spiling  board  lightly  to  the 
frame  as  nearly  as  it  will.,go  without  being  forced  side- 


57 


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ways  and  into  tke  place  where  the  topstrake  is  to  fit.  If  it 
touches  the  sheer  line  at  about  mold  number  three  it  will 
be  several  inches  too  low  at  the  ends.  This  board  will  give 
you  the  curve  as  far  as  amidships,  aft  tack  another  one  the 
same  way,  and  where  the  two  lap  amidships  tack  thein  to- 
gether. Then,  get  a  pair  of  carpenter's  dividers.  Set  them 
to  span  the  greatest  space  between  the  sheer  line  and  this 
spiling  board — screw  the  dividers  so  as  to  hold  the'ir  legs 
apart — and  from  the  sheer  line  at  about  every  other  frame 
prick  off  on  this  spiling  board  this  distance;  then  by  care- 
fullv  removing  these  boards  and  laying  them  out  flat  on 
the  plank,  you  are  going  to  cut  the  topstrake  out,  if  you 
can  prick  this  distance  back  onto  it  and  get  the  curve  to 
cut  the  top  edge  so  that  when  bent  around  the-frames  it 
will  fit  true  along  the  sheer  line.  The  lower  edge  of  this 
plank  is  then  marked  out  by  bending  a  long  thin  batten  so 


Have  the  plank  squeezed  up  good  and  hard  to  the 
frames  with  screw  clamps,  putting  a  chip  under  the  foot  of 
it  so  that  it  will  not  bruise  the  surface  of  the  plank  and 
rivet  the  plank  on.  Where  the  clamps  will  not  permit  riv- 
eting use  flat-head  brass  screws  "fj4  or  2  inch,  No.  10. 
Scrape  a  little  coarse  brown  washing  soap  onto  the  threads 
and  the  screws  will  turn  in  easier.  Or  if  you  can't  affotd 
screws  use  galvanized  iron  boat  nails. 

Use  your  spiling  board  again  to  find  the  shape  of  the  top 
edge  of  the  next  two  boards  and  in  this  way  put  on  about 
three  strakes  of  top  planking. 

As  the  top  plank  is  a  sort  of  binder,  many  prefer  to  make 
that  board  of  quartered  oak  or  of  yellow  pine.  Yellow  pine 
is  good  and  you  easily  can  get  that  kind  of  wood  in  lengths- 
long  enough  to  make  it  all  in  one  piece. 

Then  spile. in  the  same  manner  for  the  shape., of  >the  gar- 


>ec 


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-Z'*l"  Maho<fanY 
'  Vi'ook  Ccamlnf 

/Oak  Omrttr  /feani/ 

~l'/\oak 
Ha//  Ifouid 

Pine  tlamf^ 
P/anh'/tf 

'■VtcaiJin^ 


"S'ta.  'yel  pine 


^3n  ye.f./><o<.  kcdaon 
■i%-oak-f=n>ars 

■^3%^" oak  k<cl 


that  it  makes  a  fair  curve,  leaving  the  plank  about  4  inches 
wide  amidships  and  tapered  to  about  2^  inches  forward 
and  2  inches  aft. 

In  putting  this  top  strake  on,  have  two  braces.  In  one 
have  a  bitt  to  bore  for  the  wooden  plug,  about  a  ^-inch 
auger  bitt  if  your  s^^-inch  copper  wire  nail  heads  will  go 
into  that  sized  hole  without  tearing  the  wood;  if  not  use 
a  7/16  inch,  or  *ven  a  J^-inch  bitt.  'lii.  the  other  brace 
have  a  gimlet  bitt — a  breast  drill  with  a  small  bitt  works 
faster  and  easier  and  is  more  generally  used  by  boat  build- 
ers— some  shops  having  an  electric  drill  that  goes  through 
the  wood  as  if  it  were  cheese,  and  is  a  great  time-saver. 
Follow  through  with  this  smaller  bitt,  boring  a  hole  into 
which  the  copper  nail  squeezes  tightly 


board  where  it  fits  along  the  keel.  Cut  your  thin  spiling 
boards  so  that  they  fit  roiighly  to  the  shape  at  the  ends  and 
get  out  the  garboards.  They,  too,  should  be  of  oak  or  yel- 
low pine,  but  insteaid  of  being  wider  in  the  middle  than  at 
the  ends,  they  are  just  the  reverse.  The  idea  is  to  fill  up 
the  surface  with  the  top  strakes  and  the  garboards  so  that 
the  remaining  space  to  plank  up  will  be  more  like  a  barrel 
and  take  boards  -more  of  an  even  shape  and  size.  If  you 
cannot  do  this  with  the  garbQard  alone,  put  one  or  two 
more  strakes  above  it,  the  first  and  second  broad  strakes 
as  they  are  called,  making  them,  about  6  incites  wide  and 
tapered  so  that  the  rest  of  the  space  can  be  divided  equally 
both  at  middle  and  ends. 

To  keep  the  intermediate  'planks  of  uniform  size  and  to 


59 


give-fair  planking  lines,  get  out  the  rest  of  the  planks  by 
using  a  "planking  scale."  This  is  nothing  but  a  thin  slat 
of  wood,  thin  enough  to  bend  easily,  around  the  frames  so 
scaled  off  that  you  can  measure  how  wide  each  plank  must 
be  at  any  frame  to  fill  up  the  space  between  the  top-strakes 
and  broad  strake  already  on.     Say  it  is  48  inches  at  the 


nearest  frame  to  amidships  and  we  want  the  plank  4  inches 
wide.  It  will  therefore  take  twelve  such  planks  to  fill  that 
space.  Bend  the  batten  with  one  end  against  the  edge  of 
the  broad  strake  around  the  frame  and  mark  where  the 
edge  of  the  last  upper  strake  comes.    Mark  that  "4." 

Then  do  the  same  at  Mold  No.  i.  There  twelve  planks 
would  make  each  one  only  3  inches  wide.  Bend  the  batten 
here  and  mark  it  "3."  Divide  the  distance  between  3  and 
4  on  the  batten  or  plank  scale  into  eight  equal  parts  to  rep- 
resent eighths  of  an  inch.  By  bending  this  planking  scale 
at  any  frame  this  will  show  you  how  wide  the  plank  should 
be  at  that  frame. 

You  cannot  expect  to  have  the  planks  all  in  one  length 
from  end  to  end  but  will  find  that  you  have  to  make  them 
of  two  pieces.  Make  the  joint,  or  "butt"  as  it  is  technically 
termed,  midway  between  the  frames  and  rivet  the  ends  to 
an  oak  butt  block  about  an  inch  thick  and  wider  than  the 
plank  so  that  its  edges  hook  behind  the  plank  above  and 
■  below  it.  The  last  plank,  called  the  "shutter,"  must  be 
spiled  for  on  both  edges  and  must  be  fitted  very  carefully. 

Plugs  can  be  purchased  to  fill  the  holes  over  the  nail- 
heads- after  you  have  riveted  up  the  copper  nails  that  hold 
the  planks  on.  Dip  each  •  plug  into  either  glue  or  thick 
white  lead  paint  and  tap  them  lightly  into  the  holes,  snip- 
ping them  off  flush  with  the  plank  with  a  big  chisel,  only 
learn  to  snip  them  so  that  the  grain  of  the  plug  doesn't  go 
in  and  make  a  hole. 

With  a  plane  jack  down  the  seams  a  little  and  then  with 
a  roll  of  spun  wicking,  a  calking  iron  and  a  mallet,  calk 
each  seam.  Drive  the  cotton  in  so  that  it  is  at  least  an 
eighth  of  an  inch  back  from  the  edge  and  smear  it  with  a 
hiixture  of  thin  white  lead  applied  with  a  seam-brush— a 
sirfgle  row  oi  bristles  set  in  a  wooden  handle. 

The  planksheers  can  be  bent  after  steaming  well  around 
stout  cleats  nailed  to  the  floor  and  fitted  when  cold,  or  they 
can  be  sawed  out  in  sections  and  scarphed  together. 

To  make  the  mold  to  bend  it,  simply  drop  a  plumb  line 
down  from  the  deck  edge  at  intervals  and  nail  the  cleats  to 
these  spots.  This  way  saves  a  lot  of  unnecessary  measure- 
ments. Before  the  planksheer  is  fastened  down  toe-nail  in 
a  row  of  blocks  between  the  beams  half  under  the  plank- 
sheer and  half  projecting  to  land  the  ends  of  the  deck  on. 


Plug  fasten  planksheer,  using  galvanized  iron  wire  nails. 
The  deck  is  laid  in  strips  of  white  pine  3  inches  wide 
and  J^-inch  thick.  Do  not  try  to  make  it  absolutely  tight, 
at  the  joints,  but  run  a  thin  shaving  off  the  upper  half  of 
one  edge  to  leave  an  open  seam  on  top  while  the  bottom  is 
jammed  tightly  together.  Then  calk  these  seams  and 
"pay"  them  with  white  lead  paint,  the  same  as  the  planking 
was  treated. 

Where  the  tiller  rope  sheaves  are  to  be,  fit  an  oak  block 
under  the  deck  between  the  beams  and  the  same  forward 
where  the  hatch  and  the  mooring  post  come. 

If  you  can  get  your  motor,  now  is  the  time  to  build  the 
bed  for  it  and  line  it  up  through  the  shaft  hole,  fitting  on 
the  stern  bearing  outside  and  the  inside  stuffing  box.  Cut 
saddles  to  hold  the  gasolene  tanks  securely  in  the  bottom 
of  the  boat.  Pipe  your  exhaust  out  through  the  stern  and 
then  lay  the  cabin  and  cockpit  floor  beams  and  floors. 

The  cabin  floor  boards  can  be  6  inches  or  so  in  width,  but 
lay  the  cockpit  floor  in  4-inch  strips  just  as  the  deck 'was 
put  down. 

■  Square  up  the  inner  edge  of  the  deck  around  both  cabin 
and  cockpit,  and  around  on  the  cockpit  floor  directly  under 
this  edge  fit  a  rabbeted  white  pine  sill  piece  to  set  the  lower 
ends  of  the  tongue  and  groove  chamfered  staving  into. 
Let  the  upper  ends  stick  up  high  enough  above  the  deck 
to  form  the  shape  of  coaming  shown  in  the  plans. 

The  cabin  sides,  ij^  inches  thick,  are  landed  flat  on  the 
deck  after  smoothing  off  and  putting  them  where  if  is  to 
set.  If  you  cannot  get  one  wide  board,  build  it  up  in  three 
strips  with  upright  ribs  inside  to  hold  them  rigid.  Drift 
bolt  the  cabin  through  from  underneath. 

The  cabin  beams  are  J^xiJ^-inch  with  a  crown  of  6 
inches  in  6  feet  notched  into  the  cabin  sides  and  nailed. 
Over  them  is  laid  a  ^-inch  wooden  deck,  and  after  this  is 
given  a  coat  of  paint,  a  thin  piece  of  canvas  is  stretched 
tightly  over  it  and  tacked  over  the  edges  with  copper  or 
galvanized  tacks,  which  are  all  hidden  under  an  oak  half- 
round  molding. 

The  after  bulkhead  is  staved  up  and  down  in  the  same 
stock  as  the  cockpit  staving.  The  outer  thickness  of  the 
cockpit  coaming  is  then  fitted  up  against  the  after  end  of 
the  cabin  sides,  its  after  end  shaped  down  in  a  curve  to  the 
deck,  and  an  oak  cap  rail  fitted  .over  the  two. 

After  the  deck. is  all  planed,  sandpapered  and  varnished, 
one  coat,  fit  the  low  thumb  rail,  around  the' edge  of  it,  plug 
fastening  it  with  galvanized  boat  nails  to  the  planksheer, 
and  put  on  the  oak  half  round  moldings  at  the  deck  edge. 
Sandpaper  the  hull  outside,  putty  all  the  seams  and  holes, 
and  give  it  a  prime  coat  of  paint.  When  this  dries  scratch 
in  the  waterlijie  or  paint  line  if  you  want  her  to  show  a' 
boot-top,  and  give  another  coat  of  white  paint  above  water 
and  copper  paint  below. 

The  stem  band 'you  can  make  out  of  a  strip  of  narrow 
half-round  brass,  the  skeg,  rudder  and  quadrant  can  be 
bought,  and  a  rudder  port  made  by  screwing  a  stout  piece 
of  brass  pipe,  just  large  enough  to  take  the  ij^-inch  diam- 
eter bronze  rudder  stock  into  the  hole  through  the  over- 
hang and  sawing  it  off  flush  with  the  deck,  or  about  ^-inch 
above  it. 

The  flagpole  sockets,  windows  in  the  house  and  stern 
seat  are  fittings  that  anyone  who  has  gone  thus  far  will 
need  no  instructions  for.  There  is  the  steering  wheel  and 
sheaves,  hatch  in  the  cabin  top  and  cabin  doors  to  finish, 
and  the  interior  we  leave  for  every  man  to  fit  up  as  his 
fancy  dictates.  By  extending  the  transoms  forward  3  feet 
under  the  deck,  there  is  transom  accommodations  for  two 
people  to  sleep  to  port  and  one  on  the  starboard  side  wel' 
clear  of  the-companionway. 

Editor's  Note. — Detailed  Instructions  for  Planking,  Calking,  Paint- 
ing, Laying  Canvas  on  the  Cabin  Top,  Building  a  Motor  Bed,  etc.,  will 
be  found  in  Motobhoat  Handbook,  Volumes  I  and  II.  Readers  who 
wish  to  build  SunAsh  will  find  the  Handbook  a  practical  aid  in  the 
work.  Those  who  do  not  own  copies  of  the  Handbooks,  may  obtain 
them  by  sending  a  dollar  and  a  half,  which  is  the  price  for  both  vol- 
umes, postpaid. 


60 


HOW  ■'  MOLLYHAWK  "  WILL  APPEAR  AFLOAT 

How  to  Build  "Mollyhawk" 


Part  I 


By  C.  G.  Davis 


A  MOLLYHAWK  is  not  a  bird  of  beauty,  therefore 
the  name  is  appropriate  in  this  case,  but  beauty  is 
not  always  the  most  desirable  element  in  a  boat,  and 
if  our  Molly hati'k  shows  the  staying  qualities,  the  sea- 
worthiness and  lasting  qualities  of  that  homely  sea  fowl 
so  familiar  to  deep  water  sailors  as  to  be  part  of  their 
everyday  life,  she'll  be  as  good  a  boat  as  any  man  who 
loves  the  life  on  the  water  will  care  to  own. 

She  is  a  boat  that  will  go  through  stormy  weather  as 
a  motorboat  should  go,  easily  and  dry,  not  floundering 
about  in  the  surface  water  This  desirable  quality  has 
been  obtained  by  making  her  more  of  a  boat,  a  deeper 
boat  and  a  heavier  constructed  boat,  than  the  ordinary 
28-foot  craft. 

She  looks,  in  profile,  somewhat  like  a  small  edition  of 
a  steamship — her  stern  will  stand  the  slopping  of  seas 
without  the  jar  felt  ini  flat-sterned  boats,  and  her  bow  is 
high  enough  to  take  care  of  any  comber  she  may  be  put 
to.  Her  deckhouses  look  a  little  peculiar,  due  to  the 
long,  narrow  skylight,  which,  while  it  looks  odd  in  a 
side  view,  does  not  show  up  at  all  badly  in  the  real  boat, 
and  its  advantages  are  twofold.  It  gives  full  headroom 
in  a  boat  that  would  otherwise  be  all  out  of  proportion, 
if  the  cabin  itself  were  carried  up  that  high,  and  in  Sum- 
mertime makes  a  nice  cool  cabin  by  the  ventilation  pos- 
sible with  such  a  cabin  construction.  In  the  flat  paper 
plan  you  see  the  full  height,  but  in  the  _  real  boat  the 
perspective  sets  it  back,  and  it  appears  considerably  lower 
Mollyhawk  is  28  feet  long,  has  8  feet  beam,  and  draws 
2  feet  6  inches  of  water,  with  a  good,  heavy  displacement, 
9,920  pounds.  This  heavy  displacement  is  intentional, 
as  a  study  of  the  lines  will  show.  She  is  big  below  water, 
and  it  will  require  some  concrete  ballast  to  bring  her 
down  to  her  designed  waterline.  as  the  weight  of  her 
hull  engine  and  fittings  will  hardly  equal  9,920  pounds; 
more  likely  they  will  be  about  7,000  pounds,  leaving  about 
2,900  pounds  of  ballast. 

If  you  have  been  out  in  a  light  displacement  boat  in 
heavy  weather,  you  know  how  they  throw  you  about, 
and,  when  I  say  heavy  weather,  I  don't  mean  a  Summer 
thunder  squall  on  an  inland  lake,  where  it's  all  spray 
and  no  sea.  but  take  the  fleet  of  boats  that  go  out  down 


New  York's  lower  bay,  or  the  style  of  boats  that  navigate 
out  of  'Frisco  Harbor,  and  go  out  into  the  ocean  fishing, 
and  the  conditions  such  boats  have  to  contend  with  are 
what  this  boat  is  designed  for.  Another  condition  she  is 
adapted  for  is  where  a  man  wants  a  boat  to  take  long 
cruises  and  live  for  months  aboard  his  boat.  He  can  live 
on  such  a  boat  as  this  in  comfort,  and  be  able  to  walk 
when  he  gets  ashore  without  having  to  get  the  kinks  out 
of  his  legs,  or  feeling  the  ground  heave  and  pitch  under 
him. 

Don't  ■  start  to  build  Mollyhawk  unless  you  have  first 
tried  your  hand  at  some  smaller  craft.  Not  but'  what  you 
might  succeed — that  is  a  matter  of  individual  ability — 
but  what  I  mean  is  that  Mollyhawk  is  not  a  primer,  it's 
one  step  higher,  is  a  second-grade  reader  so  to  speak, 
a  little  more  difficult  and  much  more  of  a  boat. 

I  have  laid  out  all  the  work,  and  the  plans  herewith 
published  show  how  the  work  is  to  be  done,  but  it's 
up  to  you  to  open  your  tool  chest,  go  see  the  lumber 
dealer,  and  prepare  to  use  your  muscles.  You  who  want 
to  keep  your  waistband  girth  down  can  leave  off  your 
dumb-bell  exercises  and  your  walks ;  the  contortions  you 
will  go  through  in  building  a  boat  are  the  best  kind  of 
exercises  to  keep  a  man  healthy  and  strong. 

Build  her  under  cover,  if  you  can,  inside  a  barn  or 
shed.  If  this  is  not  available,  and  I  never  was  so  lucky 
myself,  do  as  I  did,  set  up  some  posts  and  from  these  run 
rafters  up  against  the  side  of  your  house,  and  roof  over 
and  board  in  with  novelty  siding. 

The  first  step  in  the  real  work  of  construction  con- 
sists in  getting  out  the  molds.  These  molds  are  wooden 
patterns,  as  it  were,  that  show  the  boat's  shape  at  the 
various  stations  marked  in  our  plans,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7 
and  8.  No  8  could  be  dispensed  with,  but,  on  account  of 
the  boat  being  rounded  up  so  quickly  at  the  stern,  I  have 
shown  it.  and  it  will  pay  you  to  go  to  the  trouble  to  make 
it,  you  being  an  amateur.  These  molds  are  thrown  away 
when  the  boat  is  completed,  and  for  that  reason  are  gen- 
erally made  of  some  very  cheap  wood  about  one  inch 
thick.  Their  shapes  can  be  laid  out  from  the  meas- 
urements given  at  six-inch  intervals  in  our  plans  on 
Plate    2.      When    these    are    all    ready,    lay    them    aside 


61 


as 


^ 


62 


63 


and  start  on  the  oak  keel  and  the  backbone  of  the 
boat.  The  various  members  which  constitute  the  back- 
bone are  all  shown  and  identified  in  Plate  3.  Nearly  all  the 
members  here  shown  are  to  be  of  oak.  Sometimes  the 
knees,  such  as  the  transom  knee,  stem  knee,  etc.,  are 
made  of  hackmatack.  Either  wood  will  do,  but  by  all 
means  make  your  keel,  shaft  log  and  fore  foot  of  good, 
sound,  clear  white  oak.  The  keel  is  the  first  and  largest 
stick  in  the  boat.  It  is,  as  shown  in  Plate  ^,  22  feet  lyi 
inches  long,  4  inches  thick  and  6  inches  deep.  Don't  make 
the  mistake  so  often  made  by  amateurs  of  ordermg  a  4x6 
of  your  lumber  dealer,  and  then,  when  he  asks  if  you 
want  it  rough  or  dressed  lumber,  tell  him-  you  want  the 


BODY    PLAN  of         'MOLLYHAWK' 

flOUI^S  are  dmwri  lo  ifts/t^c  of  plank 

wood  dressed,  for,  if  you  do,  you  will  probably  get  about  a 
3^-inch  stick  for  your  keel,  and,  while  this  at  first 
thought  might  not  seem  to  make  any  difference,  you  will 
find  it,  as  well  as  the  rabbet  line,  has  ail  been  figured 
out  for  a  4-inch  stick  of  wood,  and  this  would  all  be 
changed  with  the  thinner  size.  There  is  very  litfle  cut- 
ting to  be  done  on  the  keel  in  this  particular  kind  of  a 
boat.  The  general  run  of  boats  that  are  built  nowadays 
use  a  flat  plank  for  a  keel  and  bend  it  up  aft,  so  that 
It  comes  right  up  to  the  transom,  but  this  is  no  light  run- 
about. We  want  weight,  strength  and  rigidity  in  this 
boat,  and  for  that  reason  have  gone  back  to  the  regular 
old  ship  style  of  construction  The  deadwood  and  shaft- 
log  shou'd  next  be  cut  to  the  various  shapes  shown  in 
the  plans,  and,  by  being  made  in  two  pieces,  the  shaft- 
hole  can  be  planed  or  gouged  half  cut  of  each,  instead  of 
being  bored  with  an  auger,  or,  if  you  prefer,  the  dead- 
wood  can  be  in  one  piece  and  bored,  but  ninety-nine  out 
of  a  hundred  amateurs  would  find  great  difficulty  in  get- 
ting an  auger  large  enough  to  bore  a  two-inch  hole.  The 
stern  timber  has  more  shaping  to  it  than  any  other  piece 
of  wood  in  the  boat,  and,  if  the  amateur  could  make  a 
wooden  pattern  of  this  and  have  it  sawed  out  at  the  saw 
mill  where  he  ordered  his  lumber,  it  would  save  him  con- 
siderable cutting.  If  not,  he  will  have  to  line  it  up  and 
saw  and  chop. 

The  forward  end  of  the  keel  i^  built  iu,p  with  a  four- 
inch  fore  foot,  which  takes  a  stick  of  timber  6  feet  3 
inches  long  and  9  inches  wide,  a  stem  which  is  6  feet 
6  inches  long,  4  inches  thick  and  9  inches  wide.  These 
are  all  shaped  and  held  together  by  the  four-inch  hack- 
matack knee  to  which  each  is  riveted.  The  bolting  to- 
gether of  this  deadwood  is  generally  a  sticker  for  the 
atn.ateur,  but  if  he  will  provide  himself  with  two  or  three 


half-inch  galvanized  iron  rods — they  generally  come  in 
standard  lengths  of  about  12  to  14  feet— about  four  pounds 
of  half-inch  rivet  rings,  and  a  long  ship  auger,  also  half- 
inch,  he  will  find  the  problem  to  be  greatly  simplified. 
Carefully  set  the  various  pieces  of  wood  one  on  top  of 
the  other,  tacking  them  lightly  with  wire  nails,  then  bore 
the  various  holes  where  you  want  bolts;  with  a  hack  saw 
cut  the  iron  rods  into  the  proper  lengths  for  bolts  to  go 
through  these  holes.  Then  clamp  these  bolts^  in  a  vise, 
and  with  a  riveting  hammer  head  up,  as  it  is  called; 
that  is,  burr  over  one  end  so  it  makes  a  head  on  the  end 
of  the  iron.  Slip  one  of  the  rivet  rings  over  this,  and 
drive  It  through  the  hole  from  underneath,  where  you 
should  previously  have  bored  a  hole  in  about  one  inch, 
large  enough  to  take  the  riveting  ring,  and,  if  you  can- 
not get  an  auger  large  enough,  cut  it  out  with  a  gouge. 
This  IS  to  countersink  the  rings  so  that  they  will  show 
flush  with  the  wood  or  so  a  wooden  plug  can  be  put  in 
to  fill  the  hole.  A  bit  of  tallow  rubbed  on  the  iron  bolt 
before  you  start  to  drive  it  will  save  a  good  many  blows 
of  your  top  maul,  as  the  light  sledge  hammers  are  called, 
when  you  come  to  drive  these  bolts  through  the  auger 
holes.  They  should  be  just  long  enough  to  stick  up  about 
a  half  inch  above  the  inside  edge  of  the  wood.  Then, 
with  somebody  holding  a  heavy  sledge  hammer  or  other 
heavy  weight  against  the  bolt  on  the  under  side,  slip  a 
rivet  ring  over  the  bolt  and  proceed  to  head  up  the  inner 
end  It  is  rather  difficult  to  tell  an  amateur  just  when 
he  has  headed  the  bolt  up  tight  enough.  An  experienced 
man  could  tell  by  the  sound  of  the  blow  on  the  bolt.  The 
only  wav  I  can  explain  to  you  to  tell  when  it  is  suf- 
ficiently drawn  up  is  to  tell  you  to  keep  tapping  the  bolt 
and  burring  it  over  until  the  rivet  ring  begins  to  sink  into 
the  wood.  The  deadwood  bolts  need  not  necessarily  go 
clear  through  They  can  simply  be  driven  through  the 
keel  and  into  this  deadwood,  a  distance  of  about  6  inches, 
forming  what  are  called  blind  bolts.  If  all  these  bolts 
were  put  in  exactly  parallel  to  each  other,  ycTli  can  read- 
ily see  that  it  would  be  an  easy  matter  for  the  wood  to 
draw  away  again,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  bolts  are 
at  different  angles,  staggered,  as  boat-builders  call  it, 
the  wood  is  firmly  locked  and  cannot  get  away 

Before  you  put  the  various  pieces  of  wood  together, 
paint  their  surfaces  with  a  good  thick  coat  of  white  lead 
paint,  any  color  will  do.  Shipyards  always  have  a  great 
many  screw  clamps  of  various  lengths,  and  it  would  be 
well  for  you  to  provide  yourself  with  them,  as  you  find 
you  need  them  for  this  job,  as,  for  instance,  in  pulling 
these  deadwoods  together  you  will  find  screw  clamps  a 
very  great  help  Of  course,  an  ingenious  mechanic  can 
overcome  it  by  making  a  dog,  that  is,  cut  a  notch  in  a 
piece  of  oak  a  little  larger  than  the  span  of  the  wood  to 
be  bolted  together,  and  wedging  them  together  by  insert- 
ing a  wooden  wedge  between  the  upper  part  of  this  dog 
and  the  top  of  the  deadwood.  and  driving  the  wedge  in 
solid,  but  dogs  will  have  to  be  put  on  each  side  of  the 
deadwood  to  prevent  tipping  to  one  side  This  will 
saueeze  the  wood  together  about  as  tight  as  it  could  be 
drawn  with  a  screw  clamp,  and  you  are  then  ready  to 
rivet. 

This  backbone  is  generally  laid  on  its  side  while  being 
bolted  together,  and,  while  it  is  still  in  this  position,  it 
is  a  good  time  10  cut  your  rabbet.  Either  lay  it  out  flat 
on  the  floor,  being  careful  not  to  strain  any  of  the  joints, 
or,  better  yet.  lay  it  over  wooden  horses,  which  always 
come  in  handy  around  a  boat  shop,  and  which  it  will 
pay  you  to  take  the  time  to  make  before  you  start.  This 
raises  your  work  off  the  ground  at  a  convenient  height, 
and  keeps  you  from  almost  breaking  your  back  by  try- 
ing to  sit  on  the  ground  and  hammer  But  if  you're 
going  to  cut  your  rabbet  af  this  stage  of  the  game  you 
will  have  to  be  very  particular  about  getting  just  the 
proper  be\ek  at  which  to  apply  a  little  sample  of  your 


64 


t'-r/x 


Ylt*  .^   '   jjMi,_9    'iu^'cu^paj/i,'  .* 


'.    r 

.'  '.rinr 

I 

-  ^ 


I 


§ 


':,  '■>  '..1,'^ 


65 


flanking  when  you  cut  the  notch  formmg  the  rabbet,  and 
would  hardly  advise  doing  so  unless  you  want  to  go  to 
the  trouble  of  laying  down  all  the  boat's  lines  just  as  a 
regular  boat-builder  does.  If  you  do  this,  you  know  ex- 
actly the;>  bevel  at  which  each  waterline  intersects  the 
stem  forward  and  the  deadwood  aft,  and  this  gives  you 
the  bevel  at  which  to  apply  your  pieces  of  planking.  But 
following  the  manner  in  which  we  are  building  this  boat 
you  had  better  leave  this  rabbet  line  until  after  the  molds 
are  in  shape,  when  you  will  be  sure  of  making  no  mis- 
take, as  you  can  bend  battens  around  these  molds  and 
then  cut  your  rabbet  line  so  the  end  of  the  batten  makes 
a  perfect  fit. 

It  would  be  well  to  give  the  keel  a  coat  of  lead  colored 
paint,  to  prevent  the  wood  drying  and  checking  or  crack- 
ing, as  the  keel  will  probably  be  set  up  several  weeks  or 
months  before  it  is  closed  in  with  planking,  and  all  this 
time  the  wood  is  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  suri  and 
wind.  Set  the  keel  up  so  its  lower  edge  is  about  two 
feet  off  -the  ground,  or  eighteen  inches  at  least.  If  you 
get  it  any  closer  to  the  ground  than  this,  you  will  experi- 
ence great  difficulty  in  putting  on  the  lower  planking. 
The  angle  at  which  the  keel  is  to  be  set  up  is  shown  in 
Plate  No.  2.  It  is  slightly  higher  at  the  forward  end 
than  it  is  aft.  If  you  are  building  this  boat  in  a  shed, 
where  you  can  shore  the  fore  and  aft  ends  of  this  dead- 
wood  to  the  rafters  overhead,  ypu  will  find  it  will  be 
much  easier  to  work  around  your  boat  than  if  .the  shores 
have  to  be  braced  up  from  the  floor  or  ground  upon  which 
you  are  working.  You  will  always  be  stumbling  over 
■  them,  and'^when  you  come  to  set  the  molds  up  at  the 
various  distances  also  shown  on  Plate  No.  3,  shore  them 
overhead  for  the  same  reason,  if  it  is  possible.  If  you 
have  to  shore  them  to  the  ground,  dig  down  far  enough 
so  that  you  will  be  sure  the  ground  you  shore  them  to 
will  not  shift,  as  the  least  shifting  out  of  line  of  these 
molds  will  throw  everything  unfair,  and  cause  you  a 
great  deal  of  annoyance  after.  Brace  them  in  a  fore 
and  aft  direction  as  well  as  sideways,  for  you  have  to 
put  considerable  strain  on  these  molds  when  you  bend 
your  ribbands,  and  later  when  you  bend  the  frames  over 
the  ribbands. 

Another  point  to  be  remembered  in  setting  up  your 
molds  is  to  put  them  so  the  after  face  of  the  forward 
molds  and  the  forward  face  of  the  after  molds  come 
just  at  the  mold  station  marked  on  the  keel.  The  rea- 
son for  this  is  the  bevelling  away  from  the  amidships 
towards  each  end.  The  shape  you  want  ft  the  shape  of 
the  face  that  is  even  with  the  mark  on  your  keel.  They 
are  the  working  faces,  and.  when  you  run  the  ribbands, 
bevel  of?  the  molds  50  the  ribbands  will  fit  fl'ush  with  this 
edge.  The  transom  will  have  to  be  made,  as  it  would  be 
foolish  to  make  a  temporary  mold  of  the  shape  of  the 
transom,  and  then  to  have  to  make  a  new  one,  the  real 


transom  itself,  later  Get  it  out  to  the  shape  shown  out 
of  ij4-inch  oak  which  has  previously  been  steamed  and 
bent  so  it  has  four  inches  round  to  its  face.  This  tran- 
som can  hardly  be  gotten  out  of  one  piece  of  oak,  as  it 
is  over  two  feet  wide.  It  would  be  more  desirable  if  you 
could  do  so,  if  you  cannot,  bend  the  pieces  of  oak  over 
the  mold  which  gives  them  the  four-inch  bend,  and  then 
dowel  their  edges  together  with  wooden  dowels;  mark 
the  shape  of  the  face  as  shown,  but,  when  you  cut  it  out, 
do  not  cut  within  two  inches  of  the  lower  edge.  The 
reason  for  this  you  will  soon  see  when  you  bolt  this 
transom  fast  to  the  little  hackmatack  knee,  which  holds 
it  to  the  stern  timber.  If  yw  do  cut  it  away  you  will 
then  see,  owing  to  the  bevel  at  which  the  ribbands  go 
around  the  No.  8  mold,  you  will  have  to  cut  away  still 
more  on  the  transom  to  make  the  ribbands  fit  flat  against 
it.  By  having  previously  left  this  wood  standing,  you  can 
now  do  your  cutting  so  the  ribbands  will  finish  fair  with 
the  desired  edge. 

While  you  are  putting  up  the  molds,  let  the  lumber 
yard  be  getting  out  for  you  sixteen  strips  of  yellow  pine, 
2x2,  about  30  to  32  feet  long,  in  one  piece  if  possible. 
If  not,  they  will  have  to  be  spliCed  out  of  shorter  ■  stufif. 
You  will  find  that  most  of  these  you  can  bend  around, 
starting  at  the  rabbet  on  the  stem,  following  the  sheerline 
for  the  npper  one'  around  the  molds  to  the  transom. 
There  may  be  a  few,  however,  where  the  two-inch  stringer 
will  be  too  stubborn  to  bend  around  the  quick  curve  at 
the  stern;  if  so,  plane  them  down,  until  they  can  be  bent 
around,  but  don't  make  them  too  easy;  they  want  to  be 
just  as  stiff  as  they  can  possibly  be  put  around,  because 
they  have  to  hold  the  frames  when  you  come  to  steam 
bend  them  and  make  them  take  the  proper  bend,  and, 
if  these  battens  are  not  very  stiff,  the  frames,  when  you 
come  to  bend  them,  will  pull  the  battens  out  of  line,  and 
make  an  unfair  surface  to  your  boat's  side.  It  vyill  re- 
quire aboctt  six  of  these  battens  on  each  side  of  your  boat, 
and,  at  the  turn  of  the  bilge  from  amidships  aft,  you  may 
even  have  to  ptit  in  another  ribband,  so  as  to  make  the 
frames  take  a  true  bend,  and  not  straighten  out  from 
ribband  to  ribband  when  you  come  to  bend  them.  Fasten 
these  ribbands  at  each  mold  with  a  good  stout  lag  screw, 
say  4  inches  by  %,  inch,  turned  in  good  and;strong  with 
a  monkey  wrench.  You  can  form  a  very  good  idea  of 
the  shape  of  your  boat  by  this  time,  as  her  shape  will  be 
very  clearly  outlined  by  all  these  fore  and  aft  ribbands. 
Most  amateurs  feel  very  much  elated  when  they  arrive  at 
this  point,  but  all  this  is  superstructure,  and  is  all  to  be 
torn  away  as  the  real  boat  progresses,  which  is  the  case 
from  this  point  oh,  for  you  are  now  ready  to  begin'  and 
bend  in  the  real  timbers  of  the  boat. 

The  frames  are  to  be  i^  inches  square,  spaced  ten 
inches  apart,  so,  while  you  are  waiting  for  the  clear,  sound 
white  oak  to  come  from  the  mill,  for  it  will  pay  you  to 


P!ate.3. 


/l^ww  ^/tie  various  pieces  that,  ulien  allare  Mted  fofether,  form  the  backbone  of  //>e  boats  frame  'onet  the  location  for  the  tvnoas  mou/t/e. 


66 


order  all  this  from  the  lumber  yard,  cut  up  and  dressed 
to  lyi  inches  in  8  to  12-foot  lengths,  take  a  thin  batten 
of  pine,  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick  and  inch  or  inch 
and  a  half  wide,  space  off  ten-inch  intervals  along  your 
keel,  and  from  these  bend  the  batten  up  around  the  in- 
side of  the  ribbands,  and  mark  with  pencil  this  location. 
When  you  come  to  bend  in  the  hot  timbers,  you  can  bend 
them  right  along  these  pencil  marks.  This  will  insure 
the  frames  being  evenly  spaced,  and  not  all  standing 
zigzag.  Of  course,  you  can  straighten  the  timbers  up 
after  they  are  cold,  but  along  in  the  ends  it  will  save 
a  whole  lot  of  trouble,  on  account  of  the  excessive  bevels 
there  if  you  don't  have  to  shift  them.  To  soften  your 
timbers  so  as  to  make  them  pliable  enough  to  bend  in 
around  the  ribbands,  you  will  have  to  build  a  steam  box. 
This  subject  is  one  which  has  been  fully  explained  before 
in'  Motor  Boat,  and  along  with  many  other  subjects  that 
will  enlighten  one  in  building  this  boat  may  be  obtained 
by  getting  copies  of  Motorboat  Handbook,  Vols.  I  and  II. 
It  takes  generally  about  half  an  hour  to  properly  soften  the 
frames.  Cut  the  heel  of  the  timber  roughly,  so  that  it 
fits  flat  against  the  keel  as  you  bend  it  in.  Two  can  work 
to  far  better  advantage  than  one  at  this  job.  A  ij^-inch 
timber,  even  when  saturated  with  steam,  is  a  pretty  stub- 
born piece  of  wood  to  bend,  anc^  a  day's  work  at  this  will 
tire  any  man.  Let  one  man  get  inside  the  boat  to  work, 
the  other  handing  him  the  hot  timbers  from  the  steam 
box,  then,  as  he  bears  down  with  his  feet  to  crimp  the 
frame  down  into  its  place  against  the  battens,  pulling  the 
head  of  the  frame  inboard  at  the  same  time,  his  friend  on 
fhe- ontside  can  follow  along,  starting  at. the  keel  and 
clamp  the   frames   to  each  one  of  the   ribbands  in   suc- 


cession. These  clamps  should  not  be  removed  tor  five  or 
ten  minutes.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  after  nailing  them 
off  with  -about  two-inch  wire  nails,  driven  diagonally 
through  the  ribbands  into  the  frames,  these  clamps  may  all 
be  removed  and  used  farther  along  on  the  hull.  Very 
little  difficulty  will  be  experienced  in  bending  the  frames 
from  the  bow  clear  back  to  about  section  No.  5.  From 
there  back  you  have  to  be  a  little  more  careful  on  account 
of  the  reverse  bend  in  the  heels  of  the  frames,  and  the 
bend  at  the  bilge  becoming  more  sudden.  There  is  a 
way  of  easing  this  part  of  the  operation,  and  that  is  to 
split  the  fran^e  down  as  far  as  where  the  quick  bend 
comes.  This  allows  the  inner  half  to  slide  on  the  outer 
half,  and  yet,  when  the  plank  fastenings  are  put  through, 
they  rivet  the  two  securely  together  again.  Personally 
I  would  not  recommend  this  kind  of  constpuction. 

After  the  frames  are  all  in,  sawed  oak  floors  of  two- 
inch  oak  are  fitted  alongside  the  heels  of  each  pair  of 
frames,  riveted  to  them,  and  securely  bolted  to  the  keel 
with  about  ij4-inch  iron.  The  shapes  of  these  are  very 
easily  determined  by  laying 'a  thin  pine  board  across  the 
top  of  the  keel -and  against  the  frames  where  the  floor 
is  to  fit,  and  marking  the  shape  of  the  outer  side  of  these 
frames  with  lead  pencil  on  this  board.  With  a  few  cuts 
of  a  draw  knife  you  can  cut  this  thin  pine  pattern  and 
use  that  as  a  templet  to  mark  out  the  shape  of  the  desired 
floor.  If  you  could  only  build  a  boat  as  easily  as  you 
can  tell  how  to  do  it,  we  could  build  about  one  a  day, 
but  when  the  amateur  tackles  this  job  of  fitting  in  two- 
inch  oak  floors,  unless  he  has  a  band  saw  handy  to  help 
him,  he  will  do  very  well  if  he  fits  in  from  four  to  six  of 
these  floors  alone  in  a  day. 


07 


How  to  Build  "Mollyhawk" 


Part  II 


By  C.  G.  Davis 


WHEN  the  heels  of  the  frames  are  all  secured  by  the 
2-inch  oak  floors  to  the  keel  and  deadwood,  get 
out  the  fore  and  aft  clamps  from  2  by  4  inch 
yellow  pine  stock.  There  are  eight  of  these  in  all,  the 
upper  two  beihg  short  ones.  Be  very  particular  in  putting 
■in  the  main  deck  clamp,  as  the  deck  line  wi.l  show  unfair 
if  this  is  not  done,  and  no  one  wants  a  boat  with  a  wavy, 
snake-like  sheer.  No  matter  how  carefully  a  man  may 
design  the  boat  or  how  accurately  measurements  may  be 
taken,  it  is  always  up  to  the  man  who  builds  the  boat  to  see 
that  the  lines  run  fair  and  true,  and  this  can  only  be  done 
by  sighting  along  the  side  of  the  boat  standing  at  one  end ; 
while  another  man,  with  a  hammer,  taps  the  clamp  up  or 
down  to  take  the  kinks  out  of  it.  It  is  all  a  question  of  ac- 
curacy of  a  man's  e3'e  in  being  able  to  spot  these  uneven- 
esses. 

The  two  lower  clamps  are  the  same  size  as  the  upper 
ones,  if  you  want  to  you  can  reduce  them  in  width  and 
thickness  toward  each  end.  This  is  generally  done  by  the 
careful  professional  builder,  but  nine  out  of  ten  amateurs, 
not  having  machinery  at  hand,  seldom  go  to  the  trouble 
of  planing  down  these  two-by-fours. 

Diagonals  Numbers  i  and  2  in  the  body  plan  of  Molly- 
hawk  show  about  the  position  for  these  two  lower  clamps. 
If  run  in  about  this  line  they  will  practically  lie  flat  pn  the 
face  of  the  timber  or  will  be  so  nearly  so  that  they  can 
easily  be,  screwed  down  with  screw-clamps,  and  will  not 
require  previous  shaping.  All  these  clamps  are  to  be 
bolted  to  their  frames  with  4-inch  by  5-16  inch  carriage 
bolts.  The  head  of  the  bolt  should  be  let  in  flush  with  the 
face  of  the  frame  and  a  washer  put  under  the  nut  on  the 
inside.  This  washer  will  permit  your  turning  the  nut  up 
good  and  hard,  drawing  frame  and  clamp  tightly  together. 
Do  not  put  all  the  bolts  along  in  the  center  of  the  clamp 
but  stagger  them  so  that  one  will  be  near  one  edge,  the 
next  near  the  other  and  so  on,  alternating  them.  In  the 
end  you  may  have  to  favor  one  side  more  than  the  other 
to  pull  the  twist  out  of  the  clamp. 

Before  these  clamps  can  be  put  in  it  will  be  necessary 
to  remove  the  niolds,  but  be  sure  and  tie  the  boat  up  from 
side  to  side  with  some  good  stout  stay  laths  before  you  do 
so.  Otherwise  the  hull  may  sprawl,  as  boatbuilders  term 
spreading. 

At  this  stage  of  the  game  most  amateurs  are  in  a  great 
haste  to  start  the  planking  of  their  boat.  They  want  to  see 
it  grow,  but  they  will  get  ahead  far  faster  if  they  will  leave 
the  planking  alone  until  they  have  the  entire  deck  frame 
complete.  They  will  find  it  much  easier  to  do  this  part 
of  the  work.  Everything  is  so  much  more  accessible  and 
there  is  a  better  light  to  work  by  than  will  be  the  case 
when  the  hull  is  all  shut  in. 

As  we  have  designed  this  boat  there  are  no  very  long 
deck  beams,  the  longest  being  the  three  across  the  stern.  All 
the  others  are  short  on  account  of  the  midship  skylight, 
.but-  it  would  be  well  to  get  out  three  or  four  long  ones, 
long  enough  to  go  across  the  entire  boat,  to  hold  the  super- 
structure in  shape  while  you  are  fitting  the  shorter  beams, 
and  then -saw  them  off  later. 

As  all  these  deck  beams  are  exposed  when  the  boat  is 
completed,  see  that  they  are  nicely  smoothed  up  and,  if  you 
want  a  still  fancier  job,  champher  the  lower  edges  before 
you  put  them  in.  Fit  the  deck  beams  in  alongside  of  the 
head  of  the  frames  and  fasten  their  outer  ends  to  the 
clamp  ON  which  they  rest  with  3'/^-inch  heavy  galvanized 
iron  nails,  with  the  heads  sunk  in  so  that  when  you  come  to 


plane  and  dress  off  their  tops  so  the  deck  lies  perfectly 
true  on  them  you  will  not  be  striking  the  plane  on  a  nail- 
head.  All  these  main  deck  beams  should  be  marked  out 
from  a  pine  templet  made  with  a  crown  or  curve  of  3^ 
inches  in  8  feet.  Do  not,  above  all  things,  try  to  lay  a  flat 
deck  as  many  amateurs  attempt  to  do.  There  is  nothing 
shipshape  or  "boaty"  in  a  flat  deck  and  there  is  a  very 
good  reason  why  it  should  be  crowned..  That  reason  is,  to 
make  it  shed  water. 

There  are  about  four  corners  that  should  be  reinforced 
by  fitting  and  bolting  in  oak  or  hackmatack  hanging  knees 
about  Ij4  to  i^  inches  thick.  This  means  eight  knees. 
They  should  be  located  one  each  side  where  the  forward 
beam  of  the  after  deck  comes,  one  each  side  of  the 
after  end  of  the  main  cabin,  one  each  side  of  the  after 
raised  deck  and  one  fastened  at  each  end  of  the  deck  beam 
that  goes  clear  across  alongside  the  forward  end  of  the 
cabin.  Rivet  these  to  the  beams  with  at  least  two  J^-inch 
bolts  to  each  arm  of  the  knee.  These  may  save  a  whole  lot 
of  straining  when  your  boat  takes  a  side  bump  against 
a  dock  and  they  are  well  worth  the  time  it  takes  to  put 
them  in.  For'the  same  reason  large  knees  are  fitted  in  the 
corners  where  the  transom  joins  the  side  planking  and  a 
breast  hook  is  put  up  in  the  bow. 

As  you  cannot  lay  any  more  beams  until  you  have  laid 
the  two  little  pieces  of  side  deck  and  put  up  the  cabin  sides 
which  carry  those  beams,  they  can  be  left  and  the  more 
interesting  work  of  planking  up  the  hull  taken  up. 

Planking  up  a  boat  may  seem  simple  and  to  some  it 
turns  out  to  be  such  a  job,  but  if  one  has  never  considered 
this  subject  carefully  and  examined  other  boats  so  that 
he  has  a  fair  idea  of  the  way  in  which  it  is  done,  he  will 
find  himself  working  into  all  kinds  of  difficulties.  Old  sub- 
scribers to  Motor  Boat  will  have  some  understanding  of 
this  subject  from  the  practical  articles  printed.  Those 
who  have  not  read  these  articles  will  be  able  to  secure 
them  all  in  compact  form  in  the  Motorboat  Handbook. 
Not  only  is  the  subject  of  planking  explained  therein, 
but  the  bending  of  frames,  deck  construction  and  many 
other  valuable  articles  both  on  boat  construction  and  the 
u^e  and  the  care  of  the  boat  after  she  is  built.' 

Briefly  stated,  the  process  of  planking  may  be  compared 
to  the  construction  of  a  barrel.  As  the  barrel  staves  are 
made  wide  in  the  middle  and  narrow  at  the  ends,  so  is  the 
yacht  planking  w!der  amidships.  Just  how  wide  each 
plank  shall  be  you  have  to  determine  by  bending  a  thin 
Ijatten  around  one  of  the  midship  frames  and  dividing  it 
up  into  such  widths  as  your  stock  of  planking  will  permit. 
For  instance,  if  most  of  your  cedar  planking  which  the 
lumber  yard  has  delivered  to  you  will  only  allow  you  to 
get  out  a  plank  five  inches  wide  in  the  middle  without 
leaving  bark  on  the  edge,  do  not  lay  your  boat  for  six 
inch  plankihg.  This  distance,  measured  on  the  batten  jn 
inches,  divided  by  five,,  will  show  you  how  many  planks 
your  boat  will  require.  How  wide  these  planks  will  be 
forward  or  aft  at  any  other  frame  can  be  determined  the 
same  way,  by  dividing  the  length  along  the  frame  to  be 
planked  into  the  number  of  planks  that  are  being  put  on 
amidships,  which  would  probably  give  you  something  like 
2^-  or  3  inches. 

The  top  strake,  or  "sheer  strake"  as  it  is  called,  and  two 
or  three  more  below  it  and  then  the  garboard  or  plank 
which  goes  next  to  the  keel  are  generally  fitted  in  first  and 
then  the  space  between  is  divided  up  as  previously  de- 
scribed.   To  find  the  shape  of  the  garboard  requires  what 


68 


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is  called  "spiling."  In  other  words,  it  r€quires  the  spoil- 
ing of  one  plank  which  is  generally  a  thin  pine  or  cedar 
board  about  ^  of  an  inch  thick.  This  thin  board  is  used 
as  a  pattern  cut  roughly  by  eye  so  as -to  fit  along  the  keel, 
and  then,  with  a  pair  of  compasses,  set  so  as  to  span  the 
greatest  interval  between  the  edge  of  the  rabbet  and  the 
edge  of  this  pattern,  proceed  to  prick  off  a  line  of  spots 
along  the  pattern,  keeping  one  point  of  the  compasses  at 
the  edge  of  the  rabbet.  I5y  laying  this  pattern  out  flat  on 
the  one  inch  cedar  board  from  .which  you  are  going  to 
cut  your  garboard,  and  pricking  these  distances  back  you 
can  readily  see  that  you  get  a  line  of  spots  the  same 
shape  as  the  rabbet  against  which  the  edge  of  this  plank 
must  fit.  This  "spiling"  process  is  repeated  for  almost 
every  plank.  The  only  ones  that  will  not  require  it  are 
the  few  on  the  flat  of  the  side  of  the  boat  just  under 
the  "sheer  strake." 

You  will  hard'y  be  able  to  get  these  planks  all  out  of 
one  length.  Not  many  boats  nowadays  are  built  that  way, 
but  where  you  do  have  to  use  two,  make  the  seam  where 
the  two  ends  meet  come  midway  between  two  frames  and 
then  rivet  their  ends  to  an  oak  block  fitted  snugly  between 
the  frames  about  half  an  inch  wider  on  each  side  than 
the  planking,  so  that  the  plank  above  atid  below  will  lap 
half  an  inch  over  this  butt  block.  Common  sense  alone 
will  tell  any  man  not  to  make  all  these  butts  in  his  plank- 
ing come  in  a  line  in  one  spot  between  the.  same  two 
frames,  but  to  shift  the  butts  as  far  apart  as  possible,  using 
the  long  length  of  a  plank  forward  in  one  case  and  aft  in 
the  next,  so  that  at  least  two  planks  come  between  butts 
made  in  the  same  frame  space. 

There  are  few  places  in  this  boat  where  the  round  of  the 
side  is  so  pronounced  as  to  require  hollowing  and  rounding 
the  inside  and  outside  of  a  plank  so  as  to  make  it  fit  against 
the  frame.  Aft,  on  the  quick  round  on  the  counter,  and  in 
the  few  planks  that  end  in  the  hollow  of  the  after  frames 
this  may  be  necessary.  Never  rivet  a  plank  fast  to  the 
frame  until  its  inner  edge  makes  a  perfect  joint  on  the 
face  of  the  frame.  I  know  what  you  will  be  tempted  to  do. 
I  have  seen  it  done  time  and  again,  but  those  who  did  it 
always  regretted  doing  so.  That  is  to  chisel  off  the  face 
of  the  frame  into  a  series  of  flats  so  that  a  flat  plank  will 
fit  where  it  should  be  rounded.  The  result  is  the  boat 
shows  a  series  of  ridges  or  if  enough  is  planed  off  to 
make  the  plank  show  a  smooth  rounded  surface  the  plank 
will  be  reduced  to  only  about  ^  or  ^2  inch  in  thickness, 
and  as  this'  is  just  where  the  fastening  goes  it  is  where 
the  plank  should  have  its  full  strength. 

To  fasten  the  planking  to  the  frames  use  25^-inch  cop- 
per nails  rivetted  over  copper  burrs,  and  to  make  a  good 
job  first  bore  a  hole  so  the  heads  of  the  nails  will  sink  in 
or  be  counter  siink  about  half  an  inch.  These  holes,  after 
the  nails  are  rivetted  up,  are  to  be  filled  with  cedar  or  white, 
pine  plugs  dipped  in  white  lead  and  tapped  in  over  the 
nail  heads,  so  that  when  the  planking  is  finally  smoothed 
off  all  will  show  a  clean  wooden  surface  and  she  will  not 
look  like  a  spotted  pig,  as  she  will  if  the  nail  heads  are 
left  flush.  This  is  only  done  in  very  light  rowboats  or 
racing  boats  where  the  thickness  of  planking  will  not 
permit  of  countersinking;  there  the  nail  heads  are 
smoothed  off  with  a  file,  but  MoUyhawk  is  not  a  racing 
shell. 

Along  the  garboard  seams,  in  the  ends  of  the  planks 
and  such  places  as  under  a  clamp  where  it  is  impossible  to 
rivet  up  a  copper  nail  use  2j4-inch  galvanized  iron  boat 
nails,  but  bore  for  them  just  the  same.  Do  not  try  to 
clout  them  in  with  a  hammer  for  if  you  do  you  may  spoil 
a  plank  that  has  taken  you  considerable  time  to  shape, 
due  to  the  nail  buckling  over  in  the  hard  oak  and  splitting 
the  plank. 

When  all  the  planking  is  on,  calk  each  seam  carefully 
with  boat  cotton  spun  out  and  rolled  to  suit  the  size  of  the 
seam  and  paint  each  seam  with  a  thin  white  lead  paint. 


70 


This  will  stick  the  cotton  in  and  hold  it  while  you  proceed 
with  the  rest  of  the  work  and  makes  the  putty  stick  when 
you  come  to  putty  and  paint  the  outside. 

Before  laying  the  deck,  while  the  hull  is  all  open,  is  a 
good  time  to  put  in  your  engine  bed,  line  up  and  connect 
your  shaft  and  install  the  motor.  Make  a  templet  for  your 
gasolene  tank  and  until  that  arrives  fit  in  all  the  necessary 
floor  beams  both  for  cockpit  and  cabin  floors.  All  can  be 
fastened  down  with  the  exception  of  the  forward  cockpit 
floor  beams.  These  will  have  to  be  left  until  the  tank  is 
in,  so  build  a  platform  and  sides  to  securely  brace  this 
ts^nk  in  its  proper  place. 

The  floor  beams  for  cockpit  floor  and  cabin  floor  need 
not  be  dressed  stock;  that  is,  they  can  be  left  unplaned  as 
they  are  entirely  out  of  sight,  the  cabin  floor,  of  course, 
being  laid  absolately  level ;  but  the  forward  and  after  cock- 
pit floors  which  are  exposed  to  the  weather  would,  be 
better  off  for  a  slight  crown  so  the  water  will  drain-  to 
either  side  where  lead  pipe  scuppers  are  to  be  fitted  down 
and  out  through  the  outer  planking  so  the  rainwater  will 
run  overboard. 

The  main  cabin  floor  can  be  made  of  wide  stock,  that  is, 
boards  6  or  8  inches  wide,  nailed  down  wJth  the  exception 
of  a  loose  trap  down  the  center.  These  will  permit  get- 
ting into  the  bilge  of  the  boat  if  occasion  should  require 
your  cleaning  out  the  lirnbers,  or  to  clean  out  the  bottom 
when  you  lay  her  up.  The  two  cockpit  floors  should  be 
only  2  to  4  inch  strips,  the  narrower  they  are  the  more 
yachty  is  the  appearance.  These  decks  should  be  caulked, 
payed  and  puttied  and  a  rabbeted  oak  sill  set  in  white  lead 
and  nailed  down  forming  a  sort  of  frame  to  receive  the 
lower  end  of  the  cockpit  staving.  It  takes  a  little  extra 
work  to  get  this  rabbeted  sill  out  and  most  amateurs,  in- 
stead of  doing  so.  will  be  tempted  simply  to  nail  a  cleat  on 
deck  and  then  nail  staving  against  this  cleat;  but  the  latter 
is  very  apt  to  leak,  vvhile  the  former  insures  an  absolutely 
watertight  job,  and  if  j'ou  have  ever  Iain  in  a  bunk  and 
felt  the  cold  drip  from  a  leaky  deck  you  will  know  what 
this  means.  Take  time  and  do  it  right  now.  You  can- 
not change  it  later  without  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and  ex- 
pense. 

The  laying  of  the  side  decks  is  slightly  dififerent.  An 
oak  edge-piece  (sailors  call  it  the  "covering  board")  about 
4  inches  wide,  the  same  thickness  as  .the  deck,  which 
should  be  about  one  inch  thick,  is  to  be  fitted  so  its  outer 


edge  is  even  with  the  outside  of  the  planking.  From 
there  in  the  deck  is  laid  in  narrow  strips.  The  forward 
and  after  ends  of  this  decking  are  nailed  to  oak  cleats 
fastened  to  the  side  of  the  after  end  of  the  house  and  the 
forward  end  of  the  after  deck. 

From  the  end  of  the  raised  deck  the  main  cabin  is  made 
of  two  built-up  sides  consisting  of  a  top  and  bottom  rail 
with  vertical  stiles  mortised  and  tennoned  into  them,  form- 
ing the  windows  as  shown  in  the  plans.  These  sides  are 
fastened  to  the  deck  by  rods  of  five-sixteenths  iron  go- 
ing through  the  lower  rail  thr.ough  the  deck  and  the 
end  of  the  oak  deck  beams.  By  making  these  sides  of 
I -inch  stock  you  will  have  wood  enough  to  dovetail  the 
ends  of  the  short  cabin  beams  into  them.  Here,  also,  it 
is  customary  to  run  one  or  two  beams  clear  across  from 
side  to  side  to  held  the  sides  accurately  in  position  until 
all  the  others  are  in  place,  the  deck  laid  and  the  sides  of 
the  skylight  erected.  Then,  when  the  boat  is  secured 
by  the  skylight  beams 'going  across,  these  can  be  sawed 
out  and  their  ends,  as  well  as  all  the  other  beams, 
covered  by  a  3-inch  by  J^-inch  finishing  strip  or,  if  you 
do  not  object  to  the  ends  of  the  beams  showing,  you  can 
round  ofif  the  ends  of  the  beams  with  a  chisel  and  let 
them  show._  ' 

The  construction  of  the  cabin  skylight  is  just  the  same 
as  the  cabin  sides,  although,  of  course,  it  is  longer.  The 
beams  are  dovetailed  into  the  sides  just  as  the  cabin- 
house  beams  were,  the  deck  laid  in  strips  of  white  pine 
about  4  inches  wide  by  %-inch  thick  and  the  whole  cov- 
ered with  canvas,  just  as  the  main  deck  was  when  it  was 
laid,  the  canvas  being  held  at  the  edges  by  a  row  of  cop- 
per tacks  and  the  ragged  edge  of  the  canvas  covered  by 
a  half-round  oak  molding. 

You  have  probably  seen  boats  whose  cabin-houses  were 
defaced  by  dirty  black  stains  running  down  from  under 
this  molding.  If  you  will  shellac  the  inside  of  the  half- 
round  molding  before  you  put  it  on  you  will  not  have 
this  difficulty. 

The  after  end  of  the  cabin,  the  forward  and  after 
cockpits,  are  to  be  built  of  ^-ihch  tongued  and  grooved 
cypress  staving  about  2J/2  inches  wide  bradded  to  the  sill- 
pieces  and  edge  of  the  deck.  Do  not  drive  your  brad^ 
straight  in.  Put  them  in  on  a  slant  and  they  will  pull 
the  staving  and  hold  it  much  tighter.  Punch  the  nail- 
heads  in  and  finish  the  holes  with  a  bit  of  putty. 


k 


71 


How  to  Build  "Mollyhawk" 

Part  III 
By  C.  G.  Davis 


ANYONE  capable  of  building  Mollyhawk's  hull  knows 
enough  to  lay  a  quarter-inch  tongue  and  groove  cabin 
floor,  and  to  build  the  seats  and  bulkheads  either  of 
one  wide  board  set  on  edge  or  by  fir§t  building  a  spruce 
frame  and  staving  up  the  front  with-  cypress  or  yellow 
pine  tongue  and  groove  staving,  in  narrow  widths. 
Boards  two  to  three  inches  wide  with  their  edges  cham- 
phered  so  that  when  they  come  together  they  make  a 
"V"  shape  seam  is  just  as  good  and  far  cheaper  to  build 
than  a  transopi  front  all  formed  of  panels  or  other  forms 
of  expensive  joiner  work.  All  such  ginger  bfead  work, 
while  it  rriakes,  a  boat  look  a  little  more  stylish  is  no  bet- 
ter than  a  plain  pine  board  painted  or  a  tongue  and  groove 
staving  as  we  have  suggested,  and  you  can  refinish  the 
latter  with  one  half  the  trouble  and  expense  of  a  fancy 
paneled  transom.  "  The  advantage  of  the  "V"  seam  formed 
by  the  champhered  edge  is  that  it  hides  any  slight  un- 
evenesses  in  the  thickness  of  the  seam  vvhere  the  two 
boards  come  together,  which  is  not  the  cas'e  where  the 
boards  are  square  edged  and,  especially,  if  it  is  painted 
white.  But  as  to  just  how  you  finish  the  interior  of  your 
boat,  whether  you  use  expensive  joiner  work  or  the  plain 
cheap  kind  does  not  in  any  way  affect  the  serviceability  of 
Mollyhamk.  It  is  a  matter  of  personal  taste  and  entirely 
up  to  you  to  say  just  how  much  money  you  care. to  spend 
on  it.  You  can  use  cypress  at  about  5  cents 'a  foot  or 
use  bird's  eye  maple  or  Circassian  walnut  at  about  30 
cents  a  foot.  The  same-  thing  applies  to  the  hardware 
below  decks.  Some  owners  will  use  the  ordinary  lac- 
quered' iron  door-knobs  and  locks  and  drawer-pulls. 
Others  will  use  glass  ones,  and  others  solid  brasis  ones, 
the  latter  are  far  preferable,  but  when  you  buy  them 
make  sure  that  you  are  getting  solid  brass  and  not  iron 
•simply  dipped  in  brass,  as  much  of  the  boat  hardware 
now  sold  is  made.  You  will  find,  in  a  couple  of  years, 
the  rust  will  strike  thfocigh  and  your  boat  hardware  will 
be  anything  but  a  thing  of  beauty.  Especially  is  this  true 
of  the  deck  fittings,  such  as  flagpole  sockets,  chocks  and 
other  deck  plates,  although  my  choice  for  such  fittings 
would  be  galvanized  iron  in  preference  to  brass.  They 
are  just  as  strong,  if  anything,  stronger  than  brass,  will 
not  look  so  shoddy  as  brass  does  when  it  becomes  tarn- 
ished, and  if  for  any  reason  the  galvanizing  does  get 
nicked  you  can  retouch  it  with  a  bit  of  aluminum  paint 
and  make  it  look  as  if  it  had  just  come  from  the  Store. 
Let  me  call  your  attention  to  one  apj^arently  insignificant 
point  about  fastening  on  your  deck  plates  and  that  is  to 
see  that-  the  screw  heads  fit  perfectly  into  the  ccm,nter- 


sink  bored  in  the  chock  or  deck  plate,  whatever  the  fittmg 
may  be.  Sometimes  a  hole  for  the  screw  is  bored  vertical, 
while  the  face  of  the  deck  plate  is  slightly  beveling.  The 
result  is  that  one  sharp  corner  of  this  screw-head  sticks 
out  like  a  knife,  and  will  cut  you  when  you  polish  the 
brass,  and  on  which  strings  of  cotton  waste  generally; 
cling,  looking  anything  but  pretty.  Use  a  metal  countei'' 
sink  in  your  brace  and  bitt  and  ream  out  the  holes  until 
the  screw  heads  just  fit  flush  with  the  surface  of.  the 
metal.  Do  not  leave  the  heads  standing  up,  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  do  not  let  them  sink  an  eighth  of  an  inch  or 
so  below  the  surface  of  the  metal.  In  that  case  you  should 
use  a  screw  with  a  larger  head  to  fill  up  the  hole,  for 
such  holes  form  puddles  for  the  dirty  brass  polish  or 
water. 

There  is  one  little  point  in  the  construction  of  Molly- 
hazvk  that  I  wish  to  draw  your  attention  to  particularly, 
and  that  js  the  knee  on  the  after  quarter,  just  above  the 
half  round  moulding.  This  is  called  a  quarter  badge,  and 
it  is  just  such  little  fittings  as  this  that  set  off  your  boat 
and  add- to  her  shippy  appearance.  Do  not  try  to  make- 
this  out  of  half-rinch  wood  and  plaster  it  on,  for  it  will 
not  stand.  It  is  not  like  putting  interior  trim  in  a  house, 
but  get  it  out  of  one  thick  oak  or,  hackmatack  knee,  as 
shown  in  the  accompanying  sketch,  in  which  you  will  see 
that  the  knee  itself  is  about  two  inches  larger  than  what 
shows  on  the  outside.  By  making  the  knee  about  two 
and  a  half  inches  thick  you  can  cut  a  rabbitt  in  it  and 
fasten  the.  ends  of  the  planking  to  it,  leaving  the  little 
quarter  badge  extending  out  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
beyond  the  planking  and  yet  it  will  be  solid  enough  not 
to  curl  or  crack  in  the  weather..  While  we  are  talking 
about  knees  just  consider  the.  two  little  sketches  here 
shown.  Most  people  do  hot  think  the  mere  outline  of  a 
knee  has  anything  to  do  with  a  boat's  looks,  but  in  this 
they  are  wrong.  Just  as  quickly  as  a  house  architect 
wou'd  notice  a  house  built  without  eaves,  so  can  a  man 
used  to  water  and  ships  spot  a  clumsy,  amateurish  shaped 
knee  as  shown  in  the  upper  figure.  Such  a  knee,  while 
it  might  be  useful  and  appropriate  in  building  a  chair 
or  a  table,«will  make  Mollyhawk\\ook  clumsy  if  it  is  used 
at  the  after  end  of  her  cabin  or  the  forward  end  of  the 
little  raised  deck  aft,  the  turtle  deck,  as  you  might  call  it, 
where  on  either  side  a  knee- is  shown  which  fills  up  what , 
would  otherwise  be  a  very  awkward  looking  square  corner. ' 
Make  the  lower  arm  of  the  knee  longer'than  the  upright 
end  and  of  some  such  curve  as  I  have  here  shown. 

Another  little  detail  to  which  I  want  to  call  your  at- 


THE  HOLDS  IN  PLACE 


72 


tention,  and  which  applies  not  only  to  Mollyhawk  but  to 
all  boats,  is  the  quarter  bitts  aft  and  heavy  mooring  bitt 
forward.  This  forward  one  should  go  down  and  be 
mortised  into  the  forward  deadwood,  although  many  peo- 
ple only  use  a  short  bitt  and  key  it  fast  on  the  under  side 
to  an  oak  block"  which  fits  from  deckbeam  to  deckbeam. 
This,  to  my  way  of  thinking,  brings  too  much  strain  on  a 
yacht's  deck  for  the  main  mooring  bitt  forward.     Such  a 


PUTTING    ON    THE   RIBBANDS 

style  of  construction  is  all  right  for  the  small  quarter  bitts 
aft,  but  I  would  not  advise  its  use  forward.  How  many 
people  have  ever  considered  the  reason  why  the  edges 
of  the  bitts  were  champhered  ofif  the  way  they  are  on 
ships?  Very, few,  I'll  guarantee.  But  when  I  explain 
the  reasons  for  it  by  means  of  the  diagrams,  A.  B.  C.  D. 
and  E.  a  blind  man  can  see  the  point.  I  have  seen  bitts' 
rounded  ofif  into  all  manner  of  fancy  shapes,  the  man 
who  did  it  evidently  thinking  that  the  idea  of  champhering 
a  bitt  was  to  make  a  fancy  piece  of  furniture  out  of  it. 
The  real  reason  is  this :  The  head  of  a  bitt,  as  shown 
in  figure  A,  is  there  to  make  rope  fast  to,  and,  naturally, 
the  strongest  part  of  this  bitt  is  right  at  the  deck.  The 
higher  up  you  go  the  more  leverage  the  anchor  cable 
has  to  break  it.  For  that  reason  the  champher  is  cut  at 
such  an  angle  as  will  make  the  cable  ride  down,  and  ride 
is  the  nautical  word  for  slide,  close  to  the  deck.  If  you 
ever  go  to  sea  on  an  old  sailing  ship,  where  nearly  every- 
one of  the  many  ropes  has  to  be  coiled  down  over  belaying 
pins,  you  would  soon  notice  that  on  a  belaying  pin, 
shaped  like  Figure  B,  you  can  lay  fake  after  fake  over 
such  a  pin  and  they  will  pile  up  clear  to  the  top  withc«,t 
sliding  off,  as  shown  in  Figure  B.  While  with  one  shaped 
like  C,  when  you  get  near  the  top  the  upper  fakes  of  rope 
will  begin  to  slide  uo  over  the  top,  as  in  Figure  E,  and 
you  cannot  coil  nearly  as  much  rope  over  such  a  pin.  I 
have  seen  an  old,  deep  water  mate  go  along  a  ship's  bul- 
warks, and  every  pin  he  found  patterned  after  that  shown 
in  C  he'd  heave  away  to  leeward  with  a  deep  sea  blessing 
on  the  heffd  of  the  man  who  made  it. 

A  precaution  to  be  taken  when  you  are  building  the 
deck  frame  of  your  boat  is  to  fit  inch  and  a  half  oak 
blocks,  snug  between  the  deck  beams  and  nailed  to  the 


same  so  they  will  come  underneath  the  deck  wherever 
there  is  to  be  a  deck  fitting  fastened  above.  Do  not  trust 
to  the  deck.  Soft  white  pine  will  never  hold  the  screws, 
nor  is  it  a  good  practice  to  put  a  cleat  on  deck  so  that  only 
one  screw  comes  into  a  deck  beam,  and  you  trust  to  that 
one  good  fastening  to  hold. 

The  finishing  off  of  the  boat  after  she  is  all  planked 
and  decked  is  most  important  if  you  want  a  good  looking 
boat.  The  trouble  with  most  amateurs  is  that  by  the  time 
they  get  this  far  they  are  so  anxious  to  get  their  boat 
afloat  that  they  do  not  take  the  time  to  properly  nlane  off, 
sandpaper  and  otherwise  prepare  the  wood  to  properly  re- 
ceive the  paint.  Do  not  shirk  this  part  of  the  work.  Keep 
at  the  planing  off  of  the  seams  and  planking  until  all 
humps  and  hollows  have  disappeared  and  the  plank,  any- 
way you  bend  a  small  batten  around  its  surface,  shows  ab- 
solutely fair.  When  it  has  been  planed  as  true  as  is  pos- 
sible, start  in  with  coarse  sandpaper,  folded  over  a  block 
of  wood  and  scrub  the  plank  crossway  to  the  grain  until 
every  plane  mark  is  obliterated.  Then,  with  finer  sand- 
paper, rub  it  fore  and  aft,  cutting  O'Ut  the  marks  of  the 
heavier  paper.  Then,  and  not  until  then,  is  your  boat- 
ready  for  paint.  In  a  boat  where  wooden  plugs  have  been 
fitted  over  her  planking  you  can  go  still  farther  by  taking 
a  bucket  of  hot  water  and  a  big  sponge  and  sponging  over 
the  entire  ptenking  from  deck  to  keel  on  both  sides. 
Your  boat  has  to  be  wet  sometime,  and  the  wood  and  the 
plugs  have  to  swell.  This  sponging  process  makes  the 
wood  go  through  it's  swelling  before  she  gets  overboard 
and  shows  particularly  in  the  case  of  the  plugs,  which, 
owing  to  the  wood  having  been  slightly  compressed  when 
driven  in  with  a  hammer,  is  more  apt  to  expand  than  the 
planking,  and  you  can  go  around  your  boat  as  soon  as  the 
wood  has  dried  with  a  chisel  and  shave  off  dozens  of  plugs 
that  have  swelled  out  a  sixteenth  of  an  inch  or  so  beyond 
the  surface  of  the  wood.  You  can  imagine  what  this 
would  have  done  had  you  first  painted  your  boat.  For 
this  reason  many  experienced  boatmen  never  attempt  to 
finish  up  a  brand  new  boat  as  soon  as  she  is  built.  They 
launch  her  and  use  her  a  month  or  so,  then  haul  her  out 
and  allow  her  to  thoroughly  dry  and  then  put  her  through 
the  finishing  process  of  sandpaper  and  two  or  three  good 
coats  of  paint,  for,  by  that  time,  the  wood  has  come  and 
gone  all  it  will,  due  to  swelling  and  any  little  straining 
the  boat  may  do  until  she  gets  swelled  up  tight  and 
solid  has  been  done.  Now,  when  she  is  finished,  she  will 
last  for  years,  only  requiring  the  surface  of  the  paint. to  be 
replaced  where  it  wears  cw,t. 

For  those  who  do  not  understand  just  how  the  line-up 
to  which  the  copper  is  to  be  painted,  for  in  Mollyhawk  we 


nttJeck  beam 


DoTjot  pulo  cltitnsy 
\ooKinq  knee  like  tnis 
on  MOLLYHAWK.- 


The  QOiarrer  badqe  \ha\  shows 
df  the  afber  end  of>10LLYH/\WK5' 
upper  plank\T7q  is  a  Ijoo  inch  oak 
Vnee  rabbeted  so  part  of  it  extends 
out  W  beyond  the  plank  uStncYi 
are  fdsl^ened  lb  it.' 


AqMcetul  knee  will 
add  cJ  whole  lot' .to  Vic 
appearance 


show  what  is  called  a  boot-top,  that  is,  several  inches  of 
the  copper  paint  shows  above  water  when  she  is  afloat, 
a  few  words  on  this  subject  may  be  of  assistance.  With 
the  boat  set  absolutely  plumb,  tack  a  straight  edged 
board  across  the  bows  at  the  height  you  want  the  boot-top 
forward,  and'  another  across  the  stern  the  height  the 
boot-top  is  to  be  raised  there.  Between  these  two,  just  so 
it  clears  the  side  of  the  hull  amidships,  allow  a  fish  cord  to 


73 


sag  until  it  gives  you  the  proper  height  amidships,  which, 
as  you  will  notice,  is  lower  than  at  either  end.  Then, 
with  a  long  spirit  level  or  a  batten  of  wood  and  a  short 
one,  you  can  go  along  this  line  at  intervals  of  every  foot 
or  so  and  mark  spots  on  the  planking  to  correspond  with 
the  height  of  this  line.  Then  tack  a  batten,  carefully  sight- 
ing along  it  as  you  do  so,  to  See  that  there  are  lio  lunfair 
kinks  in  it,  and  with  a  race  knife  or  the  point  of  a  brad 
awl  cut  or  scratch  a  light  groove  along  in  the  planking. 
Many  a  man  before  you  has  made  the  mistake  of  simply 
marking  this  with  a  lead  pencil,  which  the  first  coat  of 
paint  has  obliterated,  for  even  a  scratch,  in  time,  becomes 
lost  to  sight  through  being-filled  up  with  the  paint.  It  is 
a  good  practice  to  always  keep  this  mark  visible  by  re- 
scratching  it  occasionally,  for  nothing  looks  worse  on  a 
boat,  as  you  yourself  may  have  noticed,  than  a  crooked 
wave-like  line,  where  the  two  paints  meet. 

While  it  does  not  matter,  if  the  boat  is  to  be  used  in 
fresh  water,  whether  the  bottom  be  painted  with  a  copper 
compound  or  not,  it  does  make  a  great  deal  of  difference 
if  she  is  to  be  used  in  salt  water  where  the  torredo  works 
such  havoc  in  boat's  planking  by  eating  innumerable 
holes  in  it.  Copper  paint  is  the  only  thing  that  will  keep 
this  destructive  little  worm  away  and  for  that  reason  a 
great  many  people  believe  that  copper  paint  should  be  put' 
right  onto  the  bare  wood  so  that  the  Copper  can  soak  into 


Hole  for  screw) 
Txjl  bored  dt-  t>ie. 
nc]U  ancjle 


Screw  put 
in  riqbt: 


Screw  Vie<jd 
vo\  cour\\er5unk 
deep  enoucjh 


5creiv  head. 
coMntersMTik 
too  deep 


the  pores  of  the  wood,  but  as  it  is  the  liquid  that  really 
goes  into  the  wood,  depositing  the  copper  on  the  outside 
of  the  planking,  it  is  very  doubtful  whether  this  method 
has  any  virtue  in  it  or  not,  or  whether  the  copper  be  ap- 


plied on  top  of  a  fine  coat  of  lead.  One  thing  we  do 
know,  and  that  is  that  the  bottom  should  be  kept  com- 
pletely covered,  with  some  copper  paint  and,  not  allowed 
to  chafe  to  the  bare  wood. 


■w«ii«  "•'«)'■ 


Mow  short  deck  bilhs 
are  keyed  fas^  cinder 
the  deckTo&amt 


The  finish  of  Mollyhawk  I  am  going  to  leave  entirely 
to  those  who  build  her.  I  do  not  know 'of  any  business 
that  has  so  m^ny  conflicting  opinions  as  that  of  painting 
a  boat.  Of  course,  I  have  my  own  views  on  the  subject, 
but  I  can  take  you  to  another  yachtsman  who  has  had 
equal  experience  and  he  may  advocate  an  entirely  different 
manner  of  painting  the  boat.  Some  want  a  white  painted 
top  side.  Others  stoiitly  condemn  it  and  say  any  color 
but  white  should  be  used.  Some  want  varnished  decks. 
Some  would  not  have  a  varnished  deck.  Some  will  swear 
by  one  brand  of  varnish  and  some  by  another,  all  the  re- 
sult of  personal  experience  on-  their  part  and  more  than 
likely  the  different  opinions  have  been  the  result  of  ac- 
cident more  than  anything  else. 

So,  paint  Mollyhawk  any  color  you  like;  you'll  do  it  to 
suit  yourself,  anyhow — you've  a  right  to;  she's  yours. 


74 


How  to  Build  the  "Beaver" 

[      A  23- Foot  Cabin  Cruiser.     A  Big,  Roomy,  Safe  and  Seaworthy  Little  Craft.     Just 

What  the  Boys  Want 


BY  C.  G.  DAVIS 


The  "Beaver"  As  She  Will  Appear  Afloat 


TELL  you  how  to  build  a  23-foot  cabin  cruiser? 
Surely  I  will;  that's  the  easiest  part  of  the  business, 
but  it  is  up  to  you  amateurs  to  do  the  real  hard  part 
of  the  work,  the  cutting  out,  fitting  and  fastening. 
And  yet  while  it  is  hard  work,  it  is  one  of  the  most  enjoy- 
able kinds  of  labor.  You  see  the  ship  which  is  to  be  your 
future  home  grow  by  your  own  toil  and  labor.  There's 
some  satisfaction  in  building  a  boat  that  one  is  to  use  for 
his  own,  which  is  lacking  when  one  builds  as  a  business 
and  never  expects  to  see  how  the  boat,  over  which  he  has 
toiled  for  weeks,  behaves  herself  when  in  a  sea. 

To  those  men  who  have  years  of  experience  on  the 
water,  the  Beaver  will  appeal  with  all  her  good  points. 
Those  who  are  newcomers  to  the  pleasures  of  motorboat- 
ing  and  who  make  their  criticisms  with  no  actual  experi- 
ence to  back  them,  may  say  she  is  too  wide  or  too  high, 
or  too  something  else,  but  these  men  I  ask:  "Have  you 
■ever  been  aboard  of  a  converted  Cape  Cod  catboat?"  If 
not,  you  have  no  right  to  criticize  this  plan.  Don't 
imagine  that,  because  you  have  had  a  sail  on  a  narrow 
motorboat  and  enjoyed  it,  the  enjoyment  could  not  be 
magnified  by  a  trip  on  such  a  boat  as  Beaver.  She  has 
every  requisite  of  a  comfortable  little  cruiser  for  two  or 
«ven  four  men  or  boys  to  go  off  for  weeks  at  a  time  and 
live  in  comfort.  Her  beam  gives  room  to  move  a  step  or 
two  sidewise,  and  one  is  not  confined  to  a  narrow  foot 
well  such  as  ordinary  small  craft  have  between  their 
transoms.  Some  may  say  her  beam  will  make  her  a  poor 
sea  .boat,  but  any  day  Beaver  cannot  go  out  no  boat  of 
her  length  will  care  to  go. 

Every  man  imagines  his  own  boat  is  laid  out  better 
below  decks  than  any  other  boat  he  ever  saw,  but  let  him 
look  over  Beaver  and  see  if  he  can  get  any  more  room 
than  has  been  put  into  this  23-foot  boat  Every  inch  of 
her  has  been  utilized,  from  the  coat  room  up  in  the  bows 
to  the  ice-box  and  lazarette  under  the  after  deck.  Two 
comfortable  seven-foot  transoms,  two  feet  wide,  afford 
permanent  beds  in  the  cabin,  while  out  in  the  cockpit 
two  more  may  be  made  up  with  curtains  buttoned  down 
to  the  sides  of  the  awning,  and  berths  made  up  on  the 
long  cocknit  seats.  A  toilet  room  fitted  with  every  con- 
venience is  shown,  but  this,  of  course,  an  owner  can  dis- 
pense with  if  he  does  not  care  for  it.  We  have  shown  it 
to  prove  that  it  is  possible  to  get  such  a  room  in  the  boat. 


Also  on  the  starboard  side  a  completely  equipped  galley 
is  iitted  in  at  this  part  of  the  boat,  where  the  heat  and 
smoke  from  it  can  best  escape  out  the  companionway, 
and  not  heat  Op  the  cabin.  The  engine  can  be  gotten  at, 
and  yet  is  completely  out  of  the  way,  just  its  flywheel 
protruding  a  few  inches  into  the  cabin  to  enable  one  to 
start  the  engine.  Two  cylindrical  tanks,  one  for  water 
and  one  for  gasolene,  are  fitted  in  chocks  and  securely 
lashed  under  the  cockpit  sides,  where  they  are  least  apt 
to  affect  the  trim  of  the  boat,  as  their  weight  decreases, 
and  at  the  same  time  are  spread  apart  to  assist  the  boat  in 
swing'ing  with  a  slow,  easy  recovery  in  a  sea  way 

What  the  Beaver  will  look  like  when  completed  is 
shown  in  the  sketch  and  accompanying  plan  showing  the 
deck  view  and  appearance  above  the  waterline.  The 
resemblance  to  a  roomy  Cape  Cod  catboat  is  noticeable, 
and  is  intentional,  as  that  type,  when  converted  into  a 
motorboat,  has  proven  itself  a  most  satisfactory  cruiser ; 
but  with  the  similarity  in  bottom  the  parallel  ends: 
Beaver  is  a  typical  motorboat  from  there  up,  yet  one  that 
lias  elbow  room  seldom  found  even  in  motorboats  much 
larger  than  23  feet.  It  is  queer  that  with  the  hundreds 
of  examples  before  us  of  converted  sailboats'  hulls,  and 
the  speed,  weatherliness  and  comfort  thus  attained,  no 
one  has  attempted  to  design  boa.    along  these  lines. 

But  let's  get  busy,  for  the  plans  speak  for  themselves, 
and  anv  one  who  wants  to  build  does  not  need  convincing 
that  she  will  be  a  good  boat ;  too  many  of  Motor  Boat's 
subscribers  have  been  waiting  for  such  a  craft,  as  the 
many  letters  received  testify 

If  you  have  a  shop,  shed  or  barn  where  you  can  build 
your  boat  under  cover,  so  much  the  better ;  if  not,  and  you 
have  to  build  her  out  in  the  weather,  be  sure  and  shovel 
off  the  loose  top  soil  and  get  your  keel  blocks  firmly 
planted  on  hard  ground,  so  they  vvill  not  settle  under 
the  boat  as  she  accumulates  weight. 

The  keel  is  a  straight  piece  of  oak  22  feet  1 1  inches 
finished  length,  3  inches  thick  by  4  inches  deep.  Pick 
out  a  straight,  clear-grained  piece,  as  free  from  large 
knots  as  possible.  If  you  order  this  stock  for  your  keal 
at  a  mill,  order  it  dressed,  as  it  is  termed.  It  will  only 
take  the  mill  a  few  moments  to  run  it  through  a  power 
planer,  and  then  you  will  have  a  good,  smooth  stick.  If" 
not,  you  will  have  to  scrub  it  off  with  a  plane,  and  this  is 


76 


< 

a. 
or 

UJ 


76 


considerable  work.  Then  cut  it  to  the  shape  as  shown  in 
the  drawing,  which  as  you  will  notice  is  very  little  work 
indeed,  and  we  have  purposely  made  it  so.  In  fact, 
everything  about  the  boat  has  purposely  been  made  simple 
and  easy  for  amateurs  to  build.  The  rabbet,  for  instance, 
instead  of  being  a  dug-out  rabbet,  as  it  would  be  with 
a  log  keel,  in  this  boat  amounts  merely  to  a  chamfering 
of  the  top  edge.  The  angle  at  which  this  chamfer  is  to 
be  cut  is  explained  in  the  accompanying  sketches,  Figs,  i 
and  2,  on  page  14,  and  is  found  by  taking  a  piece  of  wood 
the  same  thickness  as  your  planking  and  butting  it  against 
the  too  corner  of  the  keel  at  the  anele  the  molds  make 
where  they  fit  on  the  keel. 

First  cut  notches  opposite  each  mold;  then  with  a  bat- 
ten draw  connecting  lines  and  cut  the  rabbet  from  one 
spot  to  another,  continuously,  but  do  not  try  to  finish  it 
where  it  runs  into  the  stem  and  where  the  deadwaods  lap 
onto  the  stern.  Leave  the  rabbet  uncut  there  until  you 
have  the  deadwoods  bolted  on.  Then,  with  a  batten,  draw 
the  line  in  far  across  the  stem  and  cut  the  rabbet.  It 
would  be  well  in  all  cases  to  paint  the  various  parts  of 
the  keel  as  you  get  them  out  with  a  thin  coat  of  lead 
paint,  to  prevent  their  checking  as  they  dry  out,  which 
they  are  bound  to  do  unless  your  wood  is  already  per- 
fectly seasoned. 

Now,  get  out  the  stem.  This  also  is  of  oak,  and  re- 
quires a  piece  of  wood  6  feet  6  inches  long,  3  inches 
thick  and  10  inches  wide  at  its  widest  part,  tapered  to  6 
by  3  at  the  top.  Smooth  off  the  stem  the  same  as  you  did 
your  keel  on  both  sides,  but  remember  one  point,  and  that 
is  always  to  v/ork  all  the  deadwOods,  stem,  etc.,  from  one 
side  only;  that  is,  if  you  are  squaring  up  from  the  star- 
board side  of  the  stem,  keel  and  deadwoods.  in  squaring 
the  edges,  always  apply  your  square  to  this  face,  making 
everything  square  to  it.  If  you  try  your  square  first  on 
one  side  and  then  on  the  other,  you  may  find  uneven- 
nesses  of  the  pieces  of  wood  that  will  throw  the  square 
off 

Get  the  lower  end  of  the  stem  so  that  it  fits,  notching 


< 

-J 
Q- 


o 

OQ 


77 


78 


over  the  end  of  the  keel  as 
shown  in  the  plan,  and  then 
lay  out  the  lines  marked 
rabbet  line  arid  bearding 
line.  Between  these  two 
you  are  to  chisel  out  the 
notch  termed  the  rabbet, 
into  which  the  ends  of  all 
the  planking  are  to  fit.  You 
will  notice  that  these  two 
lines  are  narrowed  together 
at  the  top  and  spread  apart 
considerably  at  the  bottom. 
The  reason  for  this  is  the 
planking  approaches  the 
stem  at  a  much  sharper 
angle  near  the  bottom,  the 

same  thickness  of  plank  requires  a  broader  surface  fore 
and  aft.  The  planking  in  this  boat  is  three-quarters  of  an 
inch  thick  and  this  rabbet  and  bearding  line  has  been 
figured  on  our  plans  for  this  thickness  of  wood,  and  you 
will  find,  if  you  take  a  small  piece  of  j4-inch  wood  as  a 
templet,  when  you  chisel  out 
the  rabbet  and  apply  it  at  the 
different  bevels  at  which  the 
different  waterlines  approach 
the  stem,  that  you  will  require 
just  the  widths  shown  on  the 
Stem  for  the  rabbet.  Figs.  3, 
4  and  5  illustrate  what  will 
happen  if  you  do  not  get  this 
rabbet  cut  just  right.  In 
Fig.  3  the  plank  is  shown  as 
it  properly  fits  into  the  rabbet. 
The  outside  of  the  plank 
finishes  flush  with  A,  which  is 
the  rabbet  line,  the  inside  fin- 
ishing flush  at  the  spot  •  B, 
representing  the  bearding  line. 
If  you  do  not  hold  the  little 
templet  of  the  planj^ing  at  the 
right  angle.  Figs.  4  and  5  show 
what  will  happen.  In  Fig.  4 
the  templet  has  not  been  ap- 
plied at  enough  of  an  angle, 
and  in  Fig.  5  the  angle  is  too 
acute,  and  you  will  notice  the 
e< 


Fia-s  r/a-? 

F/^ctre.  8  shoov^  /hA  ^ee/  hraceef  To  the  f/^^or,  /^/i^ure.  9 
J /tow  3  hocu  nruc/t  eas/er/th  fo  work  arot/rid  a  b^af 
n//ie/i  fhc  braces  ca/?  /be  puf  u/^  /o  f/ie  beams  Oi^enhe/xl. 


Kee/ 


The  ra^be/^  a/ond^  or?  f/?e  Aee/  /j  or?A- 

^  be  ye/  cu/  ^o  ^/7e  ^/i^mc/i  p/a/ik 
i!^///  ///'  ^(^6/are  a/  //?£  d:^//'/er£'/7f 
a/^g/so  /^  i^J7/c/?  //"  m^e/i  //7e  /res/. 

dge  of  the  plank  does  not  fit  rom/ara  me  a/tif/?/c  C/a/^a  /^(Pr&  //<?/'-  the  pene  end  of  a  top  maul 
m  flush  with  the  surface  of  the  //?^/- ^^/^j^/^j- ^^/-^  ^^/yj^^^/  In  regular  boat  shops  they 
wood.    This  same  principle  ap-  /  ^  /  have  a  five  or  ten-pound  block 


you  can  very  often  make 
use  of  carriage  bolts,  but 
here  you  need  galvanized 
rod  iron.  Any  firm  that 
sells  boat  hardware  carrie? 
this  in  stock  in  all  sizes 
from  J4-'nch  up  to  i  inch 
or  more  in  diameter.  For 
this  boat  you  will  require 
two  rods  of  about  Ji-inch 
iron  and  about  two  dozen 
clinch  rings  for  the  same. 
Bore  your  holes  as  shown 
in  the  plan  where  the  bolts 
are  to  go,  measure  the  ex- 
act length  with  a  little  thin 
piece  of  wood,  and  get  the 
bolts  just  the  right  length  to  reach  from  one  edge  of 
wood  to  the  other,  allowing  the  heads  on  the  outside  to 
countersink  to  a  depth  of  about  ^  to  i  inch,  and  this 
countersink  should  be  bored  with  about  J^-inch  bitt. 
These    holes,   we    might   here    say,   are    afterward   to    be 

filled  with  wooden  plugs  which 
you  can  also  buy*  at  a  boat 
hardware  store.  Hold  the 
bolts  in  a  vise  and  rivet  up 
one  end  so  you  form  quite  a 
good-sized  head  on  it,  and 
while  doing  this  you  will  no- 
tice the  quality  of  the  iron 
you  are  using,  and  it  should 
be  such  that  as  you  form  the 
head,  it  will  not  flake  off  and 
fly  in  pieces,  but  will  stand 
turning  over  and  forming  a 
good,  strong  ridge. 

Paint  the  adjoining  faces  of 
the  stem  and  knee  with  a 
good,  thick  mixture  of  white 
lead  paint  just  before  you  bolt 
them  together.  Then  drive 
the  bolts  in  from  the  outside, 
put  a  clinch  ring  over  the  in- 
ner end,  and  rivet  them  up 
firmly,  having  some  one  hold 
on  against  the  outer  end  with 
a  good  heavy  weight,  such  as 


^ntic/j/jz/^s. 


/2>ni/an^ 


plies  aft,  of  course,  as  well  as 
forward,  where  you  get  the 
rabbet  line  across  the  dead- 
wood  shaft  log  and  stern  tim- 
ber. Be  sure  that  the  after 
side  of  the  stem  is  cut  perfectly 
square  with  the  working  face, 
and  then  get  out  a  stem  knee, 
as  shown  in  the  drawing,  and 
see  also  that. the  edges  of  this 
are  perfectly  square.  If  they 
are  not,  when  you  come  to 
rivet  the  stem  and  keel  to- 
gether to  this  knee,  they  will 
not  be  in  a  perfect  line,  but 
will  stand  decidedly  crooked 
and  twisted. 

Owing  to  the  different 
lengths  of  bolts  needed  in  the 
keel  and  deadwoods,  carriage 
bolts  are  very  seldom  used. 
When  you  come  to  bolt  the 
clamps    and    frames    together. 


FIG -3. 


F/S-^ 


F/as 


of  iron  with  a  hole  drilled  in 
it,  into  which  a  stub  end  of  an 
iron  bolt  is  put,  which  they 
hold  against  the  bolts,  but 
this,  of  course,  amateurs 
would  hardly  have  at  hand. 
There  is  one  bolt,  the  forward 
one  in  the  keel,  that  does  not 
go  all  the  way  through.  This 
is  called  a  driftbolt.  Bore  for 
this  the  same  as  you  did  the 
other,  but  be  careful  the  bitt 
you  use  does  not  bore  a  hole 
so  large  that  the  bolt  will  slip 
in  too  loosely.  If  anything,  it 
should  be  i/16-inch  smaller 
than  the  drift  bolt,  so  that,  as 
you  drive  it  in  it  will  hold  and 
draw  the  wood  tightly  to- 
gether. 

The  after  end  of  the  back- 
bone of  this  boat  is  composed 
of  several  pieces  of  wood,  and. 


79 


JTEM 


Keel 


Qtem_ 


De^^woad^ 


5haff  Lo(^ 


5ten7  Hne€ 


stern  Kn(f& 


Ouartef  Kioees 


BreastJiooK . 


.y^ouMi 


Transom 


F/onrs 


Deck  I3e>.am5 


Cnckp/t  fleams 


•J<o, 


Fra/n&S 


PJank/y?c 


(^ahifl  dick 


Cni/arina   tinarti 


Off-er  ibfffCk 


% 


C'oc/<pft'  f/oor 


Cahw. f/oor 


3iA//(/7ead^ 


U/&ann, 


Mo/j/^ 


C/ampr, 


inij  jfnp 


■rkf. 


C/amp 


A^/>nn'n^  l3/ff- 


owing  to  difficulties  many  amateurs 
have  in  borine  their  shaft  holes,  we 
have  shown  that  style  of  construc- 
tion in  which  the  shaft  log  is  built 
up  of  two  pieces  of  wood,  with  one- 
half  the  shaft  hole  gouged  out  of 
each  piece,  and  the  two  held  to- 
gether by  iron  dowels.  Get  these 
two  pieces  out  first,  and  the  piece  of 
deadwood  that  is  to  go  under  them, 
as  per  plan,  and  then  bolt  them  to- 
gether, riveting  up  the  bolts  on  the 
inside  of  the  shaft  hole,  but  be  sure 
they  are  countersunk  well  below  the 
shafthole,  so  as  not  to  interfere  with 
the  sleeve  when  you  come  to  put  it 
through  the  shaft  hole.  Then  bolt 
the  stern  timber  to  the  upper  piece 
of  the  shaft  log,  and  the  up  and 
down  sternpost  which  binds  the  ends 
of  these  deadwood  pieces  together. 
Be  very  careful  that  the  holes  for 
your  dowels  which  extend  in  a  row 
either  side  of  the  shaft  hole  in  the 
shaft  logs  are  perfectly  in  line,  so 
when  you  set  one  piece  of  wood  on 
the  other,  they  will  drive  tightly 
together.  The  two  shaft  logs  in 
this  boat,  owing  to  the  deadwood 
being  only  3  inches  wide,  are  made 
of  heavier  stuff,  4  inches,  beveled 
off  outside  of  the  rabbet  line,  so 
they  face  down  with  the  3-inch 
stuff. 

When  the  deadwood  is  all  bolted 
together,  drift  bolts  and  all,  get  out 
a  stern  knee,  as  shown  in  the  plan. 
To  this  the  transom  is  to  be  riveted. 
The  transom  is  made  of  i^-inch 
oak,  the  shape  shown  in  the  plans, 
but,  of  course,  you  cannot  buy  a 
piece  of  oak  as  wide  as  is  required 
for  this.  So  you  have  to  join  two  or 
more  boards  together  to  get  the  re- 
quired width.  This  requires  another 
nice  piece  of  carpenter  work  to  face 
up  both  edges  so  as  to  make  a  per- 
fect seam,  and  then  dowel  the  two 
together.    Fig  6,  on  page  18,  shows 

one  method  of  doing  this,  that  is,  where  they  are  doweled 
together,  and  Frg.  7  shows  how  an  amateur  who  feels  he 
cannot  successfully  make  the  dowel  joint,  can  put  them 
together  by  nailing  cleats  across  the  inner  face  of  them. 

It  is  generally  customary  to  get  this  much  of  the  boat 
all  bolted  together  before  the  keel  is  "set  up,"  as  it  is 
termed,  and  the  manner  of  doing  (his  varies  according  to 
the  conveniences — or  lack  of  them — at  the  builder's  dis- 
posal: For  instance,  a  man  who  has  a  shop  with  a  good, 
level  floor  to  work  on,  has  many  advantages  over  the  man 
who  has  to  work  outdoors  on  the  ground.  All  the  former 
has  to  do  is  to  lay  a  pile  of  blocking  along  the  floor  which 
will  raise  his  keel  14  inches  at  the  forward  end  and  6>4 
at  the  after  end,  as  marked  in  the  plan.  But  a  man  who 
has  to  do  this  work  outdoors  will  have  to  scrape  away  the 


List  of  lumber  needed  to  construct  BEJWER 


B/tf:s 


TF/jMur 


Ci'jamjni 


2^ 

C/^mpa/iJibn/jgy  Posts 


T/./7/-  ^ramfls 


i^caf  a/afj 


Burks  -  franll 


fops 


face. 
T  ria. 


.•Sky/tahf    ri/t/pe. 


ands 


■ramrJ 


NO.  OP 
PIfCES 


one. 


2M. 


one, 


one 


one. 


one 


one 


tu/o 


one. 


one 


12. 


fVUi 


fUJO 


M 


one. 


four 


fan 


nine. 


one 


j/y 


■5/x 


^ree. 


twafi/e. 


J/y 


fiJ'O 


tm/o 


four 


fujo 


one 


fujn 


one. 


one 


three 


thUO 


ten 


foa 


fni'r 

tiun 


one 


lENen 
n  I  IN. 


m. 


za 


m 


10 


/O 


m. 


iP- 


m. 


Hl 


m 


IM. 


m 


its.. 


Sl 


3Z 


rnmoanionajfjy 


Deck  h,7iren3 


JU/a^ 


Taio 


tSL 


THICK. 

n\in 


/•A 


Lk 


IV^ 


lA 


!k 


tk 


/•A 


tik 


'A 


'A. 


mem 
rr.  I  IN. 


/a 


10 


^ 


tn 


'A 


iL 


tA 


Ji. 


t!k 


iAnJOO 


nnk 


nak 


oak 


oak 


tiackmatiie 


tia^Amalhc,- 
harJcmatoe. 


sprues 


■sonjce 


jpn/ee. 


oak. 


oak 


oak 


spruce 


.oaf: 


oak 


oak 


cedar 


cedar 


oak 


p/ne 


etiT} 


//«■   ai>k 


^ 


rt,. 


yg/.  pn 


oak 


oak 


oak 


nak 


n£tfflK/<i 


3'  arms 


2'  arnfS 


U003f.  ft. 


/20s^.ft 


70  ft 


t^a^ 


to  iioirer 


/i/t/fraund 


nr  .spruce 


T?tn/II?KS 


dressedf 


.i^/jars 


3/^uaK& 


nijtsf/^are. 


ln_sauaft:<- 
un  p/aue/^ ' 


dr/>sj^d 


t^resseij 


dr^sse^ 


or/jni/t 


■ial_ 


COS_}f^_ftL2 


dresse^t 


ftd.  nak 


oak 


spruce. 


^/^?r  aak 


pine 


ft<<  cak 


pme 


oak 


much  better  system  of  shoring  the  keel  to  the  rafters  or 
beams  overhead,  which  leaves  the  floor  perfectly  clear  for 
a  man  to  walk  and  vvork  around  his  boat  without  stum- 
bling over  the  braces.  The  stem  and  transom  should  be 
braced  both  sidewise  and  fore  and  aft,  as  considerable 
strain  is  to  be  put  upon  both  of  them  when  you  come  to- 
bend  the  stiff  yellow  pine  ribbands  around  as  you  proceed 
with  the  work. 

Where  these  braces  are  nailed  fast  to  the  upper  part  of 
the  stem,  called  the  stem  head,  it  is  customary  to  leave 
that  part  of  the  stem  larger  than  is  needed  for  the  fin- 
ished job,  or  to  leave  the  stem  head  longer  than  is  actu- 
ally needed,  and  then  when  the  planking  is  all  on  and  you- 
can  dispense  with  the  shores,  the  stem  head,  which  at  this 


part  is  full  of  nails,  can  be  dressed  down  or  if  left  longer, 
loose  earth  and  get  down  to  hard  pan  before  he  begins  to  can  be  sawed  right  off  and  thrown  away.  In  the  case  of 
build  up  his  blocking.     If  he  doesn't,  he  will  find  that  as      the  after  end  at  the  transom  you  cannot  do  this,  so  secure 


the  weather  comes  and  goes,  rain  and  dry,  the  blocking 
will  settle  his  boat  all  out  of  line. 

The  manner  of  holding  the  keel  firmly  to  the  blocking 
while  you  put  up  the  molds  and  proceed  to  the  building  of 
the  boat  is  also  done  in  various  ways.  Fig.  8  shows  the 
method  where  these  braces  dre  carried  down  to  the  floor 
or  to  the  ground,  as  the  case  may  be,  while  Fig.  9  shows  a 


the  braces  to  the  inner  face  of  the  transom,  where  the 
holes  will  not  show  when  you  take  the  nails  or  screws,, 
whichever  you  have  used,  out  of  the  braces. 

The  temporary  molds  which  are  to  serve  as  guides  to 
give  you  the  shape  of  the  boat  when  framing,  can  be 
made  of  about  i-inch  stuff  if  the  boat  is  to  b6  built  with- 
cold  fitted  timbers.    By  this  I  mean  timbers  bent  over  a 


80 


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•/9oy/o  e/q/  oj  fijonac  suij 


81 


mold  and  when  cold  beveled  and  fitted  in  around  the  rib- 
bands which  run  fore  and  aft  along  from  one  of  these 
molds  to  the  other,  but  if  the  boat  is  to  be  framed  with 
hot  timbers,  that  is,  the  timbers  taken  from  the  steam  box 
and  bent  directly  in  around  the  ribbands,  it  would  be  ad- 
visable to  make  these  molds  of  at  least  ij^-inch  or  2-inch 
spruce.  It  does  not  have  to  be  a  very  good  quality  of 
wood,  as  it  is  all  temporary  work,  and  is  of  no  use  what- 
ever when  the  boat  is  done. 

A  great  fault  with  many  of  the  amateurs  in  attempting 
to  build  a  boat  is  in  trying  to  do  with  too  few  of  these 
molds.  Some  of  the  best  boatbuilders  in  the  country  go 
to  the  trouble  of  making  an  individual  mold  for  every 
frame,  but  this,  of  course,  is  not  necessary  in  this  case. 

1  have  shown  five  molds,  Nos.  I,  2,  3,  4  and  5,  and  given 
all  the  dimensions  necessary  for  determining  their  shape. 
Mold  No.  t;  is  to  be  set  up  three  feet  forward  of  the  after 
«dge  of  the  transom  and  the 

others  each  four  feet  apart. 
Molds  4  and  5  have  their 
faces  aft  and  the  Molds  i,  2 
and  3  are  to  be  set  with  their 
faces  forward.  Mold  i  is 
set  where  frame  4  goes,  No. 

2  where  frame  8,  No.  3 
•where  frame  12,  No.  4  where 
frame  16,  and  No.  5  at  frame 
20.  These  frames  will  have 
to  be  left  out  until  the  molds 
are  removed  and  then  put  in 
in  their  places. 

An  amateur  could  sav.e 
<;ohsiderable  time,  perhaps, 
by  cutting  the  boards  out  of 
which  the  molds  are  to  be 
made  so  as  to  approximate 
roughly  the  shape  desired, 
and  measuring  off  from  the 
center  line  the  measurements 
given  in  the  mold  shapes,  and 
<lrawing  a  batten  through 
this,  but  while  doing  so,  he 
.should  be  very  careful  that 
the  boards  do  not  shift.  If 
they  do,  the  whole  mold  will 
■be  of  imperfect  shape  and 
the  boat  will  be  unfair  when 
you  come  to  build  her. 

If  you  have  a  large,  clean 
floor  space,  or  the  same  could 

be  provided  by  laying  down  sheets  of  heavy  brown  wrap- 
ping paper,  it  -might  be  well  to  measure  off  these  mold 
shapes  on  the  floor.  Then,  by  laying  a  row  of  nails  so 
that  their  heads  just  came  along  on  the  line  so  drawn, 
the  shape  could  be  reproduced  on  to  thin  pine  pattern 
boards  by  laying  them  carefully  over  the  nails  and  stamp- 
ing on  them.  This  is  the  way  it  is  done  in  a  boat  shop. 
These  thin  patterns  are  then  cut  with  a  draw-knife  and 
again  fitted  back  to  the  pen  .il  marks  on  the  floor.  When 
they  are  found  to  be  accurate,  they  are  tacked  together  to 
give  one  side  of  the  mold,  for  in  boat  work  we  only  do 
one  side  at  a  time  and  reproduce  the  other  side  by  simply 
reversing  the  pattern.  The  molds  themselves  can  then  be 
cut  by  laying  this  pattern  onto  the  heavier  stock  out  of 
which  the  molds  are  made. 

In  a  professional  boat  shop,  where  a  power-driven 
"band-saw  is  at  hand,  the  labor  of  getting  out  these  molds 
•does  not  amount  to  very  much,  but  an  amateur  who  has 
to  saw  them  out  by  hand  and  drag  them  out  with  a  draw- 
■knife  will  think  by  the  time  he  has  got  out  his  molds 
alone,  he  has  done  pretty  nearly  enough  work  to  build 
the  boat.  If  a  mill  is  handy  he  might  take  his  patterns 
there  and  have  the  molds. sawed  out. 


Seftmcf  up  a  mould  ■■ 


When  the  two  sides  of  the  mold  have  been  cut  out, 
spread  them  out  on  the  floor,  one  each  side  of  a  center 
line,  as  shown  in  Fig.  10,  and  cleat  them  securely  together. 
The  upper  ends  should  be  left  about  six  inches  longer 
than  is  actually  needed  in  "the  boat.  This  is  done  so  that 
the  cross  pall,  as  it  is  called,  which  in  plain  language 
means  the  brace  across  the  tops  of  them,  can  be  bolted  fast 
to  the  molds,  so  the  lower  edge  comes  just  flush  with 
what  is  to  be  the  sheer  line  in  the  boat.  This  you  will 
find  later  will  be  a  considerable  help  to  you. 

Another  form  of  checking  up  the  boat's  molds  is  to 
mark  where  the  load  waterline  and  center  line  come. 
Then  you  can  plumb  your  mold  when  you  set  it  up  on 
the  keel  by  dropping  a  plumb  bob  from  the  center  mark 
on  the  cross  pall  to  make  sure  the  mold  stands  plumb, 
and  you  can  also,  with  a  spirit  level,  see  whether  it  is 
level  across.     You  cannot  be  too  particular  in  putting  up 

your  molds  to  see  that  all 
this  worlc  is  very  carefully 
done,  if  you  do  not  want  to 
build  a  lop-sided  boat,  and 
that  is  what  you  will  surely 
get  if  you  are  not  very  care- 
ful in  plumbing  the  molds. 
As  all  the  strain  of  bending 
in  the  hot  frames  comes 
upon  these  molds,  you  cqn 
readily  understand  that  they 
must  be  very  securely  braced, 
the  same  as  the  stem  and 
transom  were,  the  overhead 
method  being  far  preferable. 
They  can  also  be  braced  by 
running  a  fairly  wide  plank, 
say,  a  plank  6  or  8  inches 
wide,  down  through  the  mid- 
dle of  the  boat,  so  one  edge 
of  this  board  just  lines  up 
with  the  center  mark  of  each 
mold.  This  will  help  hold 
the  molds  in  position,  and  at 
the  same  time  is  an  excel- 
lent fore  and  aft  brace  for 
them. 

There  are  several  methods 
which  can  be  used  in  fram- 
ing the  boat.  Some  builders 
use  one  method  and  some 
another.  So,  when  I  5tate  in 
this  particular  case  one  meth- 
od of  how  to  build  this  boat,  and  you  see  a  boatbuilder 
doing  it  another  way,  do  not  imagine  that  he  doesn't  know 
his  business,  or  that  I  do  not  know  mine.  It  is  merelj'  a 
matter  of  choosing  which  way  we  think  will  be  the  easiest; 
under  the  circumstances.  Builders,  for  instance,  put  up, 
say,  four  molds  which  show  the  shape  of  the  boat  at  four 
points,  bend  very  light  spruce  or  yellow  pine  ribbands 
around  these  molds,  and  saw  out  the  shape  of  each  par- 
ticular frame.  Others  bend  a  lot  of  frames  over  a  mold 
that  approximates  very  closely  to  the  shape,  allow  these 
frames  to  set  and  become  cold,  and  then  fit  them  one  by 
one,  beveling  them  and  straightening  them  out  wherever 
necessary  to  give  the  shape,  and  riveting  them  up  in  pairs 
before  they  go  into  the  hull,  but  when  they  do  go  in,  they 
are  perfect  and  complete. 

If  I  were  building  a  boat  myself,  this  would  be  the 
method  I  should  follow,  but  it  is  much  more  difficult,  and 
for  that  reason  I  am  going  to  tell,  an  easier  way  in  which 
the  amateur  can  perform  the  same  work,  and  that  is,  in- 
stead of  bending  light  ribbands  around  your  molds,  you 
must  get  good,  solid  ones,  say  2  inches  square,  of  yellow 
pine,  long  enough  to  reach  from  one  end  of  the  boat  to 
the  other.     If  not  in  one  piece,  they  can  be  reinforced 


-  O/je  man  p/oi/nbs  // 


82 


nishtd,  shajpeof,  C^i  €rs(>x>nj._ 


FiG-7 

^hoai'in^  houi  f ransom,  is  someHmes  held 
together  by  c/e43b  <3creu/ec/  fasf  /ns/'ctc. 


where  the  two  join  together  by  a  piece  6  or  7  feet  long,  to 
which  they  are  riveted  or  screwed. 

Bend  about  seven  of  these  around  the  molds  on  each 
side,  then  heat  up  in  the  steam  box  as  many  timbers  at  a 
time  as  is  possible,  take  them  out  of  the  steam  box  while 
still  hot  and  bend  them  in  at  intervals  of  a  foot  inside  of 
these  ribbands,  drawing  them  up  to  them  by  boatbuilders' 
screw  clamps.  This  method 
does  away  with  all  that  dif- 
ficult beveling  which  the 
timbers  that  are  fitted  in 
cold  are  subject  to,  as  here 
the  timbers  while  hot  ^an 
be  twisted  so  that  they  fit 
flat  against  the  ribbands. 
For  this  purpose,  while  you 
are  bending  them,  provide 
yourself  with  a  good-sized 
monkey  wrench,  which  will 
give  you  leverage  enough 
to  twist  most  any  bevel 
necessary  in  the  most  stub- 
born frame.  The  greatest 
difficulty  in  framing  a  boat 
this  way  is  the  liability  of 
the  frames  to  split  or  crack 
in  two  where  they  are  re- 
quired to  take  a  quick  bend, 
which  in  this  boat  I  have 
attempted  to  dispense  with, 
making  the  frames  as  easy 
a  sweep  as  is  possible,  at  the 
same  tmie  getting  a  well- 
shaped  boat. 

The  hardest  part  of  this 
frame  will  be  found  in  the 
heads  of  the  after  timbers. 
There     the    curve    is    the 

quickest,  and  it  may  be  necessary  to  construct  a  special 
mold  which  will  give  you  about  the  curve  required  at  that 
point,  and  bending  the  timbers  over  it  to  get  that  sweep. 
Then,  if  they  will  not  fit  in  cold  at  the  heels,  re-steam 
them  and  bend  them  in  where  needed.  The  novice  will 
find  the  subject  of  steaming  frames  gone  into  in  detail  in 
the  Motor  Boat  Handbook,  Vol.  I. 

In  buying  your  oak  for  the  frames,  ^ou  do  not  want  dry 
stock,  but  on  the  other  hand  it  could  be  decidedly  green. 
If  it  is  too  dry — and  you  will  soon  be  able  to  tell  if  such  is 
the  case — the  frames  will  crack  right  in  two.  You  do 
not  want  any  quarter-sawed  oak;  only  the  straightest 
grain  boards  should  be  used. 

Do  not  attempt  to  use  boards  for  frames  that  are  full  of 
knots.  If  you  do,  you  will  find  there  will  be  considerable 
waste,  as  the  frames  will  break  nine  times  out  of  ten 
where  the  knot  distorts  the  grain  of  the  wood,  and  you 
will  only  waste  time  and  material  in  attempting  it.  If 
you  bend  in  a  batch  of  frames  to-day,  they  will  be  set 
sufficiently  by  the  morrow  to  enable  you  to  take  ofif  the 
clamps,  cut  the  heels  so  they  butt  against  each  other  at 
the  center  of  the  keel,  and  then  proceed' to  nail  them  se- 
curely to  the  keel  with  about  2-inch  galvanized  boat  nails, 
and  nair  them  lightly  to  each  ribband  so  that  you  can  do 
away  with  the  screw  clamps,  and  use  them  in  bending  in  a 
fresh  batch  of  timbers.  It  would  be  impracticable  to  have 
enough  screw  clamps  to  frame  the  boat  at  one  time,  and 
very,  few  boatbuilders  do  so.  In  fact,  by  the  time  you  have 
bent  in  six  or  eight  pairs  of  frames,  you  could  then  nail 
them  temporarily  to  the  battens  and  remove  the  clamps  to 
use  on  others. 

Along  in  .the  way  of  the  engine  amidships,  that  is,  be- 
tween frames  12  and  16,  bend  an  intermediate  frame  be- 
tween each  of  the  regular  timbers,  so  as  to  reinforce  the 
boat  at  this  point,  to  withstand  the  vibration  of  her  engine. 


5hou/ing  hou/  fra/73om  ofiapec/  ouf  of  three  pieces  0/ 
a/oixf  /s  c^ou//ec^  /b(ferf>er  anct  c^efa/%  of  the  i^ou/ii/ 


If  you  wish  to  carry  this  doublmg  up  of  frames  a  little 
further  fore  and  aft,  it  will  not  hurt  the  boat  any,  but  at 
least  put  them  as  far  as  shown  in  the  plan 

When  the  frames  are  all  bent,  the  next  step  is  to  rein- 
force them  at  the  keel  with  sawed  oak  floors,  i}/^  inches 
thick.  To  save  considerable  fitting  and  to  simplify  the 
job.  in  this  boat  we  have  carried  each  floor  up  so  that 

the  top  edges  provide  a 
Itve)  surface  on  which  the 
cabin  floor  can  be  laid  di- 
rect without  going  to  the 
trouble  of  fitting  in  an  ad- 
ditional set  of  floors 

Some  builders,  instead  of 
using  sawed  floors  as  we 
have  shown  here,  take  Short 
pieces  of  the  same  stock 
that  the  frames  are  made 
of,  say,  pieces  4  to  5  feet  in 
length,  steam  them  and 
bend  them  in  right  on  top 
of  the  frames,  across  the 
keel,  connecting  one  frame 
with  the  other,  and  riveting 
them  to  the  frames.  If 
this  is  done,  of  course,  ad- 
ditional beams  have  to  be 
fitted  to  receive  the  cabin 
flooring,  which  our  method 
of  construction  dispenses 
with.  To  get  the  shape  of 
each  floor  as  you  are  build- 
ing it,  stretch  a  chalk  line 
fore  and  aft  from  stem  to 
deadwood  at  the  height 
shown  in  the  plans,  then 
take  a  thin — say  %  to  Yi- 
inch  pine  board — about  4 
feet  wide  and  9  or  10  inches  deep,  lay  it  across  the  top  of 
the  keel,  against  the  frame  whose  floor  you  wish  to  find 
the  shape  of,  making  sure  that  the  top  edge  is  level,  and 
with  a  pencil  mark  along  the  outside  of  each  frame  on 
this  board.  You  will  find  this  a  very  quick  and  simple 
method  of  determining  the  shape,  and  with  a  draw-knife 
you  can  cut  this  thin  wood  pattern  along  the  pencil  line 
and  use  it  to  cut  the  shape  of  the  floor  out  of  the  heavy 
Ij4-inch  oak.  By  beginning  amidships,  where  the  angle 
of  the  floor  is  flatter,  you  will  find  as  you  proceed  forward 
from  frame  to  frame,  the  one  pattern  can  be  used  over 
and  over  again,  a  shaving  being  taken  off  each  time  as 
the  angle  sharpens  up  toward  the  bow,  and  a  similar 
method  will  enable  you  to  ■get  the  after  floors. 

Nail  the  heel  of  each  frame  to  its  floor  with  a  3-inch 
galvanized  iron  boat  or  wire  nails.  You  may  have  to 
bore  most  of  the  way  for  these  nails.  If  you  do  npt,  you 
may  split  the  frames,  which,  after  all  the  work  you  have 
gone  to,  is  anything  but  pleasant. 

It  is  a  good  practice  to  double  up  the  ribband  that  goes 
along  the  head  of  the  timbers — the  sheer  ribband  as  it  is 
called — by  bending  one  outside  of  the  other  and  lag- 
screwing  them  together  to  the  stem  and  stern  and  to  each 
mold.  Do  not  trust  to  merely  nailing  these  ribbands  to 
the  molds,  for,  as  sure  as  you  do,  you  will  meet  with  a 
catastrophe  by  having  the  ribbands  spring  off  and  get  your 
frame  all  unfair.  The  last  frame  in  the  boat,  frame  No. 
23 — for  our  frames  in  this  boat  are  spaced  a  foot  apart — 
is  to  be  screwed  fast  to  the  inner  face  of  the  transom,  re- 
inforcing the  same  so  that  when  you  come  to  put  your 
planking  on,  you  can  put  an  alternate  fastening,  one  in  the 
frame  and  one  in  the  transom,  giving  a  doulsle  holding 
surface  which  at  the  ends  of  the  boat  is  a  very  important 
part  of  the  construction. 

When,  all  the  floors  have  been  gotten  out  and  riveted  to 


83 


the  -frames,  you  can  knock  out  the  temporary  molds  which 
were  first  erected  on  the  keel,  so  as  to  enable  you  to  put 
in  the  fore  and  aft  yellow  pine  stringers.  There  are  three 
of  these  on  each  side,  one  which  goes  along  the  upper 
edge  of  the  forward  timbers,  forming  ai  ledge  on  which 
the  cabin  roof  beams  land,  another  one  running  along  at 
what  is  considered  the  sheer  height,  and  another  one, 
known  as  the  bilge  stringer,  which  runs  along  halfway" 
from  the  keel  to  the  deck  edge.  The  purpose  of  these 
stringers  is  to  stififen  the  frame,  and  they  should  be  of 
clear  yellow  pine  about  2  inches  thick  and  4  inches  wide. 
To  jnake  them  a  little  easier  to  bend  in  the  ends  where 
the  curve  becomes  quite  sharp,  it  is  customary  to  taper 
these  stringers  to,  say,  ij4  or  lyi  inches  thick  by  about 
3  inches  in  depth.  If  you  do  not  taper  them,  put  the  for- 
ward ends  in  the  steam  box  and  make  them  soft  and 
pliable.  If  you  don't,  you  will  never  get  them  around  the 
curve  without  breaking. 

If  you  have  been  careful  in  bending  in  your  timberSt 
and  careful  that  the  timbers  were  of  the  same  size,  all  ij^ 
inches  thick,  before  bending  them  in,  you  will  find  that 
these  clamps  will  fit  fair 
and  true  on  the  inner  edge 
-of  each  timber.  If  they  do 
not  do  so,  shave  down  the 
high  timbers  until  they  do 
make  a  perfect  fit  on  each 
one.  If  you  do  not,  the 
timbers  will  be  pulled  in 
and  out,  forming  a  very  ir- 
reeular  and  unfair  side  line. 
Here  is  the  place  where  you 
can  use  carriage  bolts  to  ad- 
vantage, if  you  want  to. 
Bore  from  the  outside, 
countersink  the  heads  of 
each  one  of  the  carriage 
bolts  into  the  frame,  and  set 
the  nut  up  tight  on  the  in- 
side of  the  clamp,  cutting 
off  any  end  that  may  pro- 


/tee/  yfu'oak 


trude,  and  tap  it  a  little  to  slightly  rivet  it  just  enough  to 
keep  the  nut  from  untwisting  and  loosening.  Do  not 
put  these  bolts  in  a  direct  line.  Put  one,  say,  near  the 
top  of  the  clamp,  the  next  near  the  bottom,  etc.,  staggering 
them  alternately  up  and  down. 

As  the  cabin  beams  are  to  be  ij^  inches  deep,  be  sure  to 
set  the  upper  clamp  that  distance  below  the  edge  of  the 
boat,  puis  the  thickness  of  the  cabin  top,  so  that  when  these 
beams  are  nailed  to  it,  their  upper  surface  will  just  come 
flush  with  the  heads  of  the  timbers,  which,  of  course,  are 
underneath  the  deck.  Now,  to  stiffen  the  three  corners 
which  this  boat  has,  that  is,  the  stem  and  the  two  quarters 
aft,  knees  are  fitted  in.  In  the  case  of  the  forward  one, 
which  is  technically  termed  a  breast  hook,  many  people 
do  not  go  to  the  trouble  and  expense  of  jjutting  in  a  regu- 
lar natural  growth  knee,  but,  instead,  merely  fit  in  a  three- 
cornered  block  of  oak,  the  thickness  of  the  deck  beams, 
iJ/2  or  2  inches,  which  is  notched  around  the  head  of  the 
first  timber,  or  you  can  cut  this  timber  off  flush  with  the 
bilge  clamp,  and  bolt  the  breast  hook  to  the  stem  by  a 
diagonal  fastening  or  with  a  long  bolt  bored  clear  through 

from  the  forward  side  of 
the  stem  to  the  after  side 
of  the  breast  knee. 

A.ft,  where  the  angle  is 
considerably  more  open,  a 
knee  is  far  preferable  to  a 
mere  block  of  wood.  Their 
arms  are  short.  In  our  case 
it  only  requires  a  22-inch 
knee  of  about  2  inches 
thickness.  This  knee  is  fit- 
ted to  the  inside  of  the 
transom  and  riveted  fast  to 
the  same,  spiked  to  the  up- 
per edge  of  the  deck  clamp, 
upon  which  it  rests,  and 
when  the  plank  goes  on, 
'iKoci  f/oori  YQi,  can  get  a  few  fasten- 

"^otoncf  boct  to  be //uihed  of  'incTQ   nf    tVip    ^dVi    «;frakp    into 

i^ii' f/ow free/y  to fii>mp msH.  this  knee. 


Cabw  ct<Kk  V'4"p>77<t  -Cdrj^d5i<rd 


84 


Part  II 


BE  sure  to  brace  the  frames  the  same  as  you  did  the 
molds,  before  you  remove  them  to  put  in  frames  in 
their  place,  because  the  boat  will  be  subjected  to 
considerable  strain  in  being  planked.  For  this  same  rea- 
son it  is  better  to  put  in  all  the  deck  beams,  cabin  beams, 
and  even  the  cockpit  floor  beams  can  be  fitted,  but  not 
fastened,  as  the  latter  would  be  in  your  wav  when  riveting 
up  the  plank  fastenings.  This  work  can  be  done  so  much, 
easier  now  than  after  the  hull  is  all  shut  in  with  planking. 
The  cabin  beams  are  of  oak,  i  inch  thick  by  ij4  to  2 
inches  ^eep,  cut  with  a  sweep  that  raises  them  g  inches  in 
the  width  of  9  feet.  You  can  either  sweep  this  curve  with 
a  long  wire  or  a  batten  about  13  feet  3  inches  long,  or 
you  can  lay  it  out  by  taking  the  measurements  off  a 
smaller  circle  swept  with  a  9-inch  radius,  as  shown  in 
Figure  8.  The  quarter  of  the  circle  is  divided  into  four 
parts,  a,  b,  c,  and  the  base  line  in  four,  'd,  e,  f.  Then,  on 
a  thin  (J/2-inch)  pine  board  9  feet  long,  snap  a  chalk  line 


use  your  head  and  good  judgment  in  selecting  the  boards^ 
you  can  waste  a  lot  of  cedar.  There  is,  at  best,  considr 
erable  waste  in  planking  a  boat,  about  25  per  cent.,  gen- 
erally, varying  more  or  less  as  the  shape  of  the  boat  ap- 
proaches or  departs  from  a  round,  barrel-like  shape. 

The  principle  of  planking  a  boat  is, the  same  as  the 
construction  of  a  barrel.  The  barrel  staves  are  all  shaped 
wider  in  the  middle  and  narrower  at  the  ends,  only  in  a 
boat  the  ends  are  not  all  the  same  size  as  in  a  barrel. 
After  one  or  two  planks  have  been  fitted  onto  our  hull,  we 
will  return  to  tfiis  barrel  principle  and  you  will  realize  the 
similarity  in  construction. 

The  first,  and  perhaps  the  hardest,  platlk  of  all  to  fit  is 
the  one  next  to  the  keel,  called  the  garboard  strake.  The 
difficulty  is  principally  in  not  knowing  how,  and  in  trying 
short  cuts,  but  I  can  assure  you  that  the  ancient' boat- 
builders  have  in  the  past  centuries  found  and  made  use  of 
all  short  cuts,  and  so  don't  you  try  to  find  out  any  more.. 


//oic  a  tea^  moaU  /s  /a/d  ouf  from  a  (:/rc/e  whose  yaaf/as  eac^a/s' f/ie  crou/f?  af  ^/?e /^eam. 


for  a  base  line,  and  in  the  middle  measure  up  9  inches, 
then  from  the  middle  toward  each  end  divide  the  4}4 
feet  into  four  equal  parts,  d,  e,  f,  and  lay  off  the  distances 
a,  b,  c,  etc.,  on  the  bevels,  as  found  in  the  small  circle.  Do 
the  same  reversed  for  the  other  side  and  then,  by  bending 
a  batten  through  these  spots,  you  get  a  true,  curve  for  a 
pattern  or  beam  mold  by  which  to  mark  out  your  cabin 
deck  beams. 

The  beams  across  the  after  deck  can  be  cut  from  the 
same  pattern,  but  those  across  the  cockpit  floor  should  be 
laid  out  to  a  very  much  flatter  curve,  one  with  only  about 
2  inches  round  in  the  width  of  the  cockpit. 

Many  amateurs,  I  know,  will  make  them  straight  across, 
because  it  is  easier  to  do  so.  The  advantages  of  having 
them  cur^ved  a  little  is  that  they  will  drain  off  any  rain 
water  quicker  than  one  lard  dead  flat. 

Now  comes  the  job  ot  planking  up.  This  frightens 
many  amateurs,  but,  as  a  fact,  it  is  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting parts  of  all,  when  done  right  and  studied  aJs  you  go 
on  with  it.  Like  an  economical  tailor,  you  can  cut  your 
planking  so  as  to  make  it  go  a  long  ways  or,  if  you  don't 


I  know  I  did  when  I  built  my  first  toat,  but  I  had  to  come 
back  to  the  orthodox  method  of  "spiling." 

Spiling  for  the  shape  of  a  plank  consists  of  tacking  a 
thin  board,  say,  ^-inch  thick,  to  the  frames,  so  that  its 
lower  edge,  in  near  the  rabbet,  along  on  the  keel,  is  cut  so 
that  it  roughly  fits  to  the  curve  the  ralibet  takes  onto  the 
stem,  as  shown  in  Figure  9;  with  another  such  board 
tacked  to  the  after  end  and  the  two  lapped  and  nailed  to- 
gether amidships,  or  one  long  plank,  if  you  have  it.  With 
a  pair  of  dividers  set  to  span  the  greatest  distance  between 
this  "spiling  staff,"  as  it  is  called,  and  the  rabbet,  prick  off 
a  series  of  spots  to  give  you  the  curve  necessary  to  cut  the 
garboard  to,  so  it  will  fit.  At  the  ends,  where  there  is  con- 
siderable curve,  lay  your  rule  across  at  intervals  of  3  or 
4  inches,  and  mark  a  series  of  lines,  to  give  you  the  direc- 
tion in  which  the  measurements  are  to  be  taken  off  and 
measured  back  on.  Take  plenty  of  measurements  around 
these  curves,  but  along  amidships,  where  the  rabbet  runs 
in  a  straight  line,  you  will  not  need  so  many.  One  every 
foot  or  18  inches  will  be  enough. 

Then  carefully  remove  this  thin  pattern  (the  rule  staff) 


Thepnycess  c/  JjO/Z/na  co/is/s/s  //?  /b£/?£///ia  a  //^/r?  i^aar^  rou^f/?//  s/;a/y^d  ^f//'  ar?^  Me^ 


85 


> 

< 

o 

2 

o 

< 

< 
o 

H-l 

H 


86 


and  lay  it  aut  flat  on  the  wide,  clear  cedar  board  you  have 
selected  to  make  your  garboard  of,  and  proceed  to  set 
these  distances  back  with  the  dividers  still  set  to  the  same 
distance  between  their  points.  Draw  a  line  through  these 
spots  with  the  aid  of  a  thin  batten,  tacked  outside  of  the 
spots,  so  the  brad  holes  will  not  puncture  the  part  you 
are  going  to  use,  and  saw  out  the  shape  of  the  lower  edge 
and  plane  it  up  smooth.  The  upper  edge  can  be  snapped 
with  a  chalk  line  perfectly  straight,  and  cut  out  that  way. 
If  the  boat,  is  perfectly  true  on  each  side,  this  same  pattern 
would  fit  both  sides — you  might  try  the  garboard  on  the 
other  side  and  see  if  it  fits.  If  it  does  not,  take  another 
"spiling";  that  is,  repeat  the  measuring  oflf  process  for 
the  other.  With  screw  clamps  try  these  planks  on,  and 
mark  any  imperfections  in  fit,  and  cut  until  they  fit  per- 
fectly all  along  the  rabbet  line.  When  perfect,  you  can 
fasten  them  on.  For  this  you  want  two  braces  and  bitts 
or  twist  drills,  one  with  a  bitt  to  cut  for  a  countersink  so  as 
to  let  the  nail  head  go  in  about  3/16-inch,  so  a  wooden 
plug  can  be  fitted,  and  be  sure  the  bitt  bores  a  hole  the  size 
of  your  plugs  and  not  a  sixteenth  too  large  or  too  small, 
and  another  bitt  that  will  bore  a  snug  hole  for  your  nails. 
The  nails  that  go  into  the  stem  and  deadwood  should  be 
galvanized  iron  nails,  about  ij4  inches  long,  and  those 
that  go  through  the  frames  where  you  can  get  at  them  to 
rivet  them  up  should  be  3/16-inch  copper  nails  2j4  inches 
long.  Bore  with  a  Dutch  gimlet  bitt  for  the  fastenings 
into  the  ends,  or  you  may  buckle  the  nail  over  in  the  hard 
oak,  and  so  split  and  spoil  your  plank.  Above  all,  don't  try 
to  hurry  the  work — go  carefully,  and  you'll  get  ahead 
faster  in  the  end. 

You  can  get  out  another  plank  or  two  to  go  above  the 
garboard,  making  it  a  good  wide  plank,  for  when  you  get 
up  around  the  turn  of  the  bilge  you  cannot  use  them  so 
wide. 

Then  with  these  two  or  three  on  the  bottom  put  on 
what  is  called  the  "sheer  strake,"  the  one  at  the  deck  edge. 
With  your  thin  pattern  boards  as  a  spile  staff,  find  what 
shape  the  top  edge  of  this  board  will  make  by  measuring 
off  at  intervals  with  the  dividers  as  before.  Then  make 
the  plank  about  6  inches  wide  in  the  middle,  4  inches  at 
the  bow,  and  3  inches  at  the  stern,  sweeping  in  a  fair  line 
with  a  batten.  Where  the  deck  clamp  comes  in  your  way". 
sO  you  cannot  rivet  the  fastenings,  use  the  galvanized 
iron  boat  nails  instead. 

Now  you  have  to  stop  and  do  some  figuring  to  see  how 
many  planks  it  will  take  to  fill  in  the  remaining  space,  so 
that  you  will  not  have  a  patchwork  job.  Take  a  batten' 
and  bend  it  down  around  the  outside  of  a  frame  amidships. 
This  distance,  we  will  say,  comes  to  5  feet,  and  if  you 
decide  4  inches  is  as  wide  as  you  want  the  planking  to  be 
there,  it  will  require  15  planks.  Don't  make  the  common 
error  of  wanting  to  do  the  job  quickly,  and  try  to  use 
planks  a  foot  wide.  Remember  such  a  plank  will  shrink 
and  swell  nearly  twice  as  much  as  one  6  inches  wide,  and 
not  look  well  either;  in  fact,  when  you  come  to  the  turn 
of  the  bilge  you  may  have  to  reduce  them  to  3  inches, 
putting  in  four  planks  3  inches  wide,  instead  of  three  of 
them  4  inches  wide. 
^  Now  bend  the  batten  around  the  second  frame  from  the 
bow.  Here  you  only  have  2H  feet,  or  45  inches.  Fifteen 
planks  in  a  space  of  45  inches  gives  you  a  width  of  3 
inches  for  each  plank  at  that  end,  and  the  widths  aft  are 
found  in  the  same  way.  In  the  same  manner  you  could 
divide  the  distance  at  each  frame  and  find  out  how  wide 
the  planks  should  be  at  every  frame,  but  this  is  not 
necessary. 

It  is  not  always  possible  to  get  planks  to  run  full 
length  from  end  to  end,  and  it  is  not  necessary  that  they 
should,  although  most  amateurs  with  their  first  smattering 
of  knowledge  on  the  subject  imagine  a  well-built  boat 
should  have  no  butts  at  all.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  a  well- 
made  butt  is  the  strongest  part  of  the  plank.    Amateurs 


87 


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sometimes  try  to  cut  the  planks  so  that  the  two  ends  both 
land  on  a  frame  with  only  a  width  of  about  i]^  inches. 
This  is  dead  wrong.  You  can't  toe-nail  them  both  to  the 
same  frame  and  expect  them  to  hold.  Cut  them  so  that 
they  butt  midway  between  the  frames,  and  then  fit  a 
"butt  block,"  as  it  is  called — a  piece  of  i-inch  or  114-inch 
oak  plank,  so  it  jams  snug  between  the  frames,  and  about 
3X-inch  wider  on  each  side  than  the  planking,  this  gives  a 
little  ledge  to  extend  up  behind  the  planks  above  and 
below  it,  so  as  to  steady  it. 

Do  not  let  two  butts  come  in  line,  one  under  the  other. 
"Break  butts,"  as  boatbuilders  call  it,  by  making  the  joint 
in  the  next  plank  come  two  or  three  frames  forward  or 
aft  of  the  first  one.  There  should  be  at  least  two  planks 
intervening  between  butts  in  the  same  fraiiie  space.  With 
your  "spile  stafif,"  find  the  shape  the  top  of  the  next  plank 
must  be  to  fit  the  lower  edge  of  the  sheer  strake,  and  with 
this  shape  marked  off  on  a  plank  you  are  going  to  cut  it 
out  of,  measure  the  widths  4  inches  amidships,  3  inches 
forward  and,  say,  2  inches  aft,  whatever  it  may  be,  and 
sweep  in  a  fair  curve  with  a  batten  for  the  lower  edge  of 
the  plank.  After  working  three  or  four  planks  down  from 
the  top  put  some  more  on  at  the  bottom,  working  toward 
the  middfe,  until  only  one  plank  remains  to  be  fitted.  That 
is  known  as  the  "shutter"  plank,  and  its  fitting  in  in  ship- 
yards used  to  be  the  signal  for  a  drink  from  the  boat- 
builders.  Old  timers  would  predict  all  kinds  of  disasters 
to  the  boat  whose  shutter  was  not  "wet"  to  assist  it  in 
Toing  in.  The  boatbuilders  got  the  "wet."  You  may  feel 
the  joy  that  inspired  this  tradition  when  you  realize  that 
that  plank  completes  the  job  of  planking;  anyway,  you'll 
be  happy  and  proud,  too. 

There  used  to  be  a  great  deal  of  mystery  thrown  about 
the  job  of  planking  a  boat.  It  does  call  for  some  skill,  btit 
the  foreman  who  laid  out  the  planking  always  took  good 
care  to  conceal  the  manner  in  which  he  did  it. 

The  "planking  scale"  was  3  mystery  in  which  none 
were  to  be  initiated,  and  the  lucky  man  who  could  pry 
into  and  understand  the  system  at  once  became  a  power  in 
a  boat  shop. 

It  is  laughable  how  instructors  in  boatbuilding,  when 
they  come  to  a  description  of  this  subject  fall  down — as 
the  author  of  one  book  I  have  in  my  library  remarks,  when 
he  comes  to  describe  planking:  "I  have  never  been  able 
to  find  anyone  who  could  explain  this  operation  so  as  to 
make  it  clear,  and  doubt  my  own  ability  to  do  so,  so  will 
Meave  you  to  puzzle  it  out  for  yourself." 

I  don't  want  there  to  be  any  puzzle  about' it,  and  so  I 
shall  tell  you  here  what  the  planking  scale  is,  and  tell  you 
how  to  use  it  on  this  boat.  For  the  scale  plane  upa  thin 
slat  of  wood  like  a  lath  about  an  inch  wide  and  5^-inch 
thick,  and  as  long  as  the  distance  around  the  frame  from 
the  top  strake  to  the  garboard.  To  use  this  scale,  butt  one 
end  against  the  top  edge  of  the  garboard  or  second  strake, 
if  it  is  on,  and  tack  it  lightly.  Then  bend  the  scale  around 
the  face  of  the  midship  frame,  and  mark  where  it  touches 
the  lower  edge  of  the  sheer  strake.  That  is  the  distance  to 
be  planked,  and  as  we  have  already  decided  our  plank 
shall  be  4  inches  wide  at  this  point,  mark  that  spot  4. 
Then  do  the  same  forward,  where  we  found  the  planks 
were  to  be  3  inches  wide.  Mark  that  distance  as  3 — the 
great  mystery  consists  of  dividing  that  distanc'e  between 
3  and  4  into  eight  equal  parts,  and  so  making  a  scale  on 
the  slat  of  wood.  Continue  those  same,  divisions  up  the 
scale  to  about  2,  and  you  have  a  planking  scale  (Figure 
10).  On  the  top  strake,  at  the  second  frame,  mark  two  as 
the  widths  of  all  planks  on  that  frame.  To  find  the 
width  on  each  frame  butt  one  end  of  this  scale  on  the  top 
of  the  plank,  on  the  bottom  and  where  the  lower  edge  of  the 
top  strake  crosses  the  scaled  off  part  of  your  batten  or 
planking  scale  you  can  read  the  width  of  the  plank  from  it. 
The  widths  so  marked  show  how  wide  each  plank  is  to  be 
.on  each  frame. 


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a^ca/fje  /2  a/7a'  ^a  sawe  ic/^  J"/o/a/?i-  o/j/rame  3 

e  //Tta/o  parts  ar?^  ^J,<?n  eac/r  0/ /-/yerg  //j  e/^^rAi  ay 

a/-  an^  /nZ-et/^^e^/a/ayra/rte.  r^eajcfre  afcjf/l'  MiJsca/e 
byptMna  anf  e/7i^  ffa/nst  ^arboan/ ar7(/ u/A^rz  ///e  ufx/gr- 
3/de  o^  me  rop  strake  ^/■ass<?s  jca/e  read  ^^^.^/'d/^. 


The  do^eaf  //fics  be/q^  file  tJase  //ne. 
jhoou  £f  t^w'ck  tnefhrpd  of  c/'i//^incf  fhc 
cf/[5^nc£s  f-fVfv  the  w/c^/^f/^  to  each  en^^f 
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a 5  <::/rauy/i  ahoi/'O;  /a^e  ar)ysca/&  u/her^/bur 
parts  are  lon<:fer  than  the  of /stance  'mhe. 
diir/i^eet a/?^  jiU//j^  /t  c/oayn  unT//  the/vur 
■^a/k  comes  B  fhe  center //r?e 


89 


Another  method  for  laying  out  a  plank  where  you  have 
determined  the  widths  of  the  two  ends  and  middle  as  we 
did  at  first  is  to  strike  a  half  circle,  Figure  1 1,  with  a 
radius  of  4  inches,  the  greatest  width  we  decided  for  our 
plank.  Measure  up  square  to  the  base  line  to  where  the 
curve  is  3  inches  high — that  is,  the  widths  of  the  planks 
forward — and  on  the  other  side  to  where  it  is  2  inches. 
Divide  the  remaining  space  into  any  number  of  equal  parts 
and  you  can  measure  the  widths  at  these  places  and  lay 
them  out  at  corresponding  intervals  on  the  plank  you  are 
lining  out  on  the  board  previous  to  cutting  them  out.  This 
will  give  you  a  true,  iavr  sweep  for  the  other  edge  of  the 
plank. 

The  three  or  four  short  strakes  of  plank  to  form  the 


raised  deck  forward  will  be  easy  enough  to  any  one  who 
can  do  the  rest  of  the  planking. 

Each  plank  can  be  riveted  up  as  it  is  put  on.  Punch 
the  nail  in  solid  then,  with  one  man  holding  a  heavy 
weight  on  against  the  head  outside,  another  can  get  in- 
side, put  a  copper  "burr" — as  the  flat  washers  are  called — 
on  the  nail,  punching  it  on  with  a  short  piece  of  either 
brass  or  iron  piping  just  big  enough  to  go  over  the  nail, 
cut  it  off  within  about  I /16-inch  of  the  washer  and  rivet  it 
up.  Don't  hit  it  a  couple  of  smashing  blows,  as  that  will 
only  buckle  the  nail  in  the  wood.  Take  a  light  hammer 
with  a  ball  pene  end,  like  a  machinist's  hammer,  and  tap 
it  all  round  the  edge  until  it  curls,  or  "burrs"  over;  then 
hit  it  a  couple  of  good  taps  in  the  center  to  expand  it. 

Plane  of?  the  uneven  seams  and  any  hard  spots  that 
may  show  on  tlie  planking,  then  go  carefully  all  over 
and  test  all  loose  looking  knots,  and  punch  them  out. 
Those  with  a  black  ring,  which  is  a  sort  of  bark,  are  the 
loose  ones. 

Then  you  want  a  bung  reamer,  a  tapered,  gouge-shaped 


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bitt,  that  will  fit  in  a  brace.  Bore  out  all  the  black  around 
the  knot  hole  until  it  shows  clear  wood.  Whittle  pine  or 
cedar  plugs  and  drive  them  into  these  holes  good  and 
tight,  and  then  saw  them  off  flush.  The  plugs  that  fill  the 
nail  holes  should  be  dipped  into  a  shallow  tin  can  cover 
like  a  lard  pail  cover  of  thick  white  lead  paint  and  tapped 
in  with  a  small  hammer.  Don't  mash  them  in  or  they  will 
swell  out  again  like  a  sponge. 

The  caulking  of  the  planking  comes  next,  and  that,  to 
my  mind,  is  really  more  difficult  than  to  plank  the  boat; 
that  is,  more  difficult  to  tell  the  novice  just  how  to  do  it, 
because  you  can't  specify  how  much  cotton,  as  the  ama- 
teur seams  are  apt  to  be  uneven  in  widths,  and  require  a 
little  in  one  place  and  a  lot  in  another.  You  want  just  to 
fill  the  seam  up  tight  and  yet  not  jamb  the  planks  apart.  I 
could  tell  better  by  sitting  around  and  hearing  the  sound 


of  the  caulking  mallet  how  well  or  how  badly  it  was  being 
done.  The  seams  of  the  plank  when  put  on  should  be 
slightly  wedge-shaped,  with  the  opening  on  the  outside. 
Never  fasten  a  plank  on  when  the  seam  is  wider  inside 
than  it  is  out.  The  water  pressure  is  all  from  the  outside, 
pushing  on  the  cottop,  and  you  want  it  to  tighten  as  it  is 
pushed  in,  ^nd  not  to  loosen. 

The  cotton  should  be  driven  in  about  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  beyond  the  surface  of  the  plank  and  after  painting 
with  thin  white  lead  paint  over  the  cotton  and  allowing 
this  paint  to  set  over  night,  fill  these  seams  with  putty. 

Then  smooth  off  the  plank  with  a  plane,  sandpaper  it 
well  across  the  grain  and  after  painting  over  each  knot 
with  shellac  to  keep  the  sap  in  the  knot  from  discoloring 
the  paint,  give  the  hull  a  prime  coat  of  paint,  either  red 
lead  or  white  lead  mixed  thin,  and  then  two  coats  of  what- 
ever color  you  like. 

If  you  want  to  do  a  nice  job  after  you  have  once 
smoothed  her  all  off,  previous  to  painting,  take  a  bucket  of 
hot  water  and  a  big  sponge  and  go  all  over  her  planking, 
soaking  it  well,  and  you  will  swell  the  grain  and  plugs, 
and  if  you  then  smooth  her  off  again  she  will  not  become 
so  rough  due  to  the  swelling  when  she  is  afloat  for  a  few 
days.  Full  directions  for  striking  the  water  line  when 
painting  will  be  found  in  the  Motor  Boat  Handbook, 
Vol.  I. 

The  framework  for  the  cabin  top,  such  as  the  openings  for 
companionway  slide  and  the  skylight  and  the  two  hatches 
on  the  after  deck,  should  then  be  fitted,  and  the  beams  for 
the  eockpit  floor  fastened  in  place,  but  before  these  latter 
are  secured,  -get  out  your  motor  foundation,  notch  it  over 
the  heavy  oak  floors,  and  bolt  it  solidly  in  place. 

If  you  have  your  motor  it  is  a  good  plan  to  line  it  up 
now,  before  you  box  the  boat  in  with  too  many  bulkheads 
and  other  things.  Get  a  plumber  to  m;ike  you  a  lead 
sleeve  to  go  through  the  deadwood  and  flange  it  over  at 
each  end  and  tack  it  fast  into  a  good  white  lead  bed  on  the 
faces  of  the  deadwood.  Get  out  the  mooring  post  for- 
ward and  the  two  towing  posts  aft,  of  sound,  dry,  sea- 
soned oak.  Locust  is  better,  if  you  can  get  it.  Fasten  the 
two  after  ones  in  and  brace  them  under  the  beams,  but 
leave  the  mooring  post,  after  fitting  it,  until  you  have  laid 
the  j4-inch  deck  and  stretched  the  canvas  tightly  over  it. 

First  lay  the  deck,  punch  the  nail  heads  in,  plane  down 
the  seams,  putty  all  the  holes,  and  give  it  a  good,  thick  coat 
of  paint,  and  then  stretch  the  canvas  as  tightly  as  you  can. 
Pull  it  and  tack  it  all  around  on  the  outer  edge  of  the 
deck  with  copper  tacks,  and  cover  this  edge,  after  it  is 
painted,  with  a  varnished  half  round  oak  molding. 

After  the  mooring  bitt  is  put  through  the  hole  in  the 
deck  turn  the  canvas  up  and  tack  it  close  around  the  bitt. 
and  the  same  with  the  skylight  hatch  frame ;  screw  it  'down 
in  white  lead  onto  the  canvas,  and  then  turn  the  canvas  up 
around  the  inside  of  the  hatch  and  tack  it 'fast  to  prevent 
leaking. 

It  is  necessary  to  hold  the  boat  in  some  other  manner 
when  you  come  to  finish  the  topsides,  as  the  overhead 
shores  are  in  the  way,  so  nail  a  couple  of  short  blocks  on 
each  side  onto  her  plank,  so  the  nails  go  into  a  frame  and 
brace  up  from  the  floor  to  these  with  shores. 

The  oak  covering  boards  around  the  edge  of  the  after- 
deck  are  sawed  out  of  i-inch  oak,  and  the  deck  laid  of 
white  pine  planks  i  inch  thick  and  3  inches  wide.  Caulk 
and  putty  this  deck  and  then  plane,  sandpaper  and  give  it 
a  coat  of  shellac. 

For  the  coaming  quartered  oak  should  be  used,  or  else 
mahogany,  if  you  decide  to  finish  her  off  in  that  wood. 
Fit  the  oak  clock  rails,  as  shown,  forward  and  round  off 
the  head  of  the  stem,  so  if  you  go  alongside  of  a  larger 
boat  or  up  to  a  dock  you  do  not  have  a  sharp  corner  to 
cut  and  dig  into  things. 

The  main  bulkhead  at  the  aften  end  of  the  cabin  will 
have  to-be  put  up  before  you  can  put  on  the  oak  coamings 


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and  finish  the  cockpit.  In  fact,  this  would  be  the  first  job 
to  be  done  after  the  boat  is  planked,  because  you  cannot 
even  lay  the  cabin  top  until  the  up  and  down  staving  form- 
ing this  bulkhead  is  complete.  All  this  bulkhead  stuff, 
both  for  here,  the  forward  end  of  the  cabin,  and  for  the 
after  end  of  the  cockpit,  can  be  of  the  same  style  of  ma- 
terial, that  is,  either  white  pine  or  cypress  tongue  and 
groove  staving,  about  3  inches  wide,  with  a  bevel  taken  off 
each  edge,  so  they  form  a  narrow  V  groove  when  fitted  to- 
gether. This  is  an  easy  style  to  clean  up  and  to  paint. 
That  is  one  reason  why  it  iS  so  largely  used  on  boats  in 
preference  to  any  narrow  scratch  bead-work,  which  any 
one  who  has  ever  tried  to  clean  up  on  a  boat  will  fight  shy. 
of  in  the  future. 

The  inside  of  the  boat,  from  this  main  bulkhead  tt>  the 
stem,  is  ceiled  up  with  the  same  material  laid  horizontal, 
beginning  up  under  the  clamp,  and  working  down  to  the 
floor  line.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  teU  one  how  to  lay  the 
cabin  floor,  or  how  to  build  the  plain,  boxlike  partitions 
and  cupboards  which  have  been  shown  in  the  accompany- 
ing plans  for  the  dishes,  stove  rack,  etc. 

The  transoms  are  constructed  by  simply  putting  up  a 
framework  of  about  lyi  x.  2-inch  spruce,  to  give  you  the 
shape  desired,  nailing  a  corresponding  cleat  on  the  floor 
and  then  staving  its  sides  up  and  down  with  the  same 
kind  of  staving.     Some  amateurs  may  prefer  to  cut  a 
wide,  plain  pine  board  and  fit  in  her.    It  will  do  just  as 
well,  and  perhaps  look  as  well  as  the  staving  that  we  have 
shown.     Make  the  seat  tops  of  wide  pine  boards,  so  ar- 
ranged that  they  can  be  taken  up  in  sections,  to  get  at  the 
space  below  the  cushions,  to  store  provisions  and  duffle. 
The  space  forward  of  the  mooring  post  has  been  bulk- 
headed  off  and  fitted  with  two  little  doors  to  be  used  as  a 
coat  room,  to  hang  up  wet  oilers,  to  lay  sea  boots  away, 
and  to  hang  heavy  coats.     We  have  not  used  this  as  a 
rope  locker,  as  it  is  generally  supposed  to  be  used,  but 
prefer  to  keep  our  cable  coiled  down  on  deck  around  the 
mooring  post,  and  stopped  to  the  deck  with  short  pieces  of 
line  in  small  eye-bolts,  where  it  will  dry  out  and  not  rot. 
There  remain  two  difficult  things  to  be  done  about  the 
cabin  top,  and  that  is  the  construction  of  the  companion 
way  slide  and  doors,  and  the  skylight.    To  assist  the  novice 
in  constructing  these  I  have  shown  detailed  drawings  of 
these'  two  fittings.     The  subject  of  building  the  skylight 
alone  is  one  that  could  fill  a  book;   in  fact,   in  my  ex- 
perience in  running  shipyards,  I  have  had  as  many  as  six 
or  eight  boats  a  week  come  to  the  yard  and  their  owners 
plead  with  me  to  come  out  and  make  their  skylights  tight. 
Any  one  who  has  done  any  amount  of  boating  knows  how 
disagreeable  a  leaky  skylight  can  become  in  wet  weather. 
For  that  reason  be  very  careful  in  constructing  this  one,  to 
make  all  your  joints  tight,  and  try  and  get  a  little  comfort 
in  Beaver.    The  companionway  slide  is  comparatively  sim- 
ple, when  you  study  out  the  accompanying  detailed  plan. 
Oak  chocks  or  saddles  are  to  be  fastened  to  the  cockpit 
floor  where  your  seats  are  to  be  built,  to  accommodate  the 
cylindrical  tanks,  one  on  either  side,  one  for  fresh  water 
and  the  other  for  gasolene,  as  shown  in  the  plans.    When 
these  are  in  place,  fasten  the  cleat  that  holds  the  after 
end  of  the  seat  across  that  bulkhead,  and  on  the  after  side 
of  the  little  square  locker  in  the  forward  end  of  the  cock- 
pit put  a  corresponding  cleat.    Then  build  your  seats  of  the 
long,  narrow  slats  as  shown  in  the  plan,  held  together  by 
cleats  underneath  these  slats,  but  do  not  nail  them  fast  at 
the  ends.    Leave  them  so  you  can  lift  this  slat  seat  right  up 
out' of  place,  so  that  you  can  get  at  your  tank  whenever 
necessary  by  taking  out  a  couple  of  screws. 

On  the  after-deck  get  out  two  square  oak  frames  of  r- 
inch  square  stuff,  the  size  of  the  hatches  you  have  formed 
in  the  deck  there  and  build  two  square  covers  out  of  about 
j4-inch  stuff,  and  for  tightness  sake,  cover  them  with 
canvas,  held  around  the  edges  with  a  small  half-round  oak 
molding  arvf  oaint  them. 


91 


We  have  made  no  attempt  in  Beaver  to  make  the  cockpit 
floor  a  water-tight  one,  because  the  floor  level  is  only  a 
few  inches  above  her  load  waterline,  but  if  one  prefers,  he 
could  caulk  it,  and  put  lead  pipe  scuppers  in  the  after  cor- 
ners, but  if  one  does  this,  I  would  advise  raising  the  cock- 
pit a  few  inches  higher  than  shown  in  the  plans,  so  there 
would  be  no  danger  of  the  water  coming,  back  through  the 
scupper  when  the  boat  settles  by  the  stern  when  running 
hard. 

The  steering  gear  of  Beaver  is  made  as  simple  as  it  is 
possible  to  make  it,  and  is  all  get-at-able  in  case  of  a 


breakdown.  Sheaves  set  in  oak  chocks  are  bolted  to  the 
deck,  as  shown,  and  the  tiller  ropes  lead  outside  the  coam- 
ing on  the  port  side,  then  in  and  over  her  steering  wheel, 
which  is  bolted  to  the  after  bulkhead  between  the  box  over 
her  engine  and  the  locker  on  the  side  which  enables  a  man 
to  steer  either  right-handed  or  left-handed. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  go  further  into  the  details  of 
building  such  a  boat,  as  they  are  all  of  such  minor  impor- 
tance that  even  a  boy  would  know  enough  to  go  ahead  and 
complete  the  job,  and  we  feel  we  have  fully  explained  the 
difficult  parts,  where  the  amateur  would  need  some  help. 


OF  BEAVER 


92 


Outboard  Profile  of  the  Nock  Runabout 


How  to  Build  a  25-Foot  Runabout 


PART  I. 


BY   FREDERIC  S.  NOCK 


DIMENSIONS. 

Length    over    all 26  feet,  9J^  inches. 

Length,  waterline  24  feet,  0       inches. 

Breadth,  extreme   5  feet,  0       inches. 

Breadth,    waterline    4  feet,  5J4  inches. 

Draft  to  Rabbet 0  feet,  11)4  inches. 

THERE  seems  to  be  quite  a  demand  for  a  small  run- 
about, something  a  man  with  some  knowledge  of 
tools  can  build,  and,  when  completed  view  his  handi- 
work with  pride.  Not  only  is  there  a  great  deal  of 
pleasure  to  be  had  running  around  in  one  of  these  craft, 
but  there  is  a  certain  charm  and  fascination  in  building 
one,  at  least  many  men  view  it  in  that  light.  That  such 
a  diversion  should  appeal  to  the  younger  boys  is  rather 
to  be  expected,  but  as  I  look  around  and  find  many  of 
the  older  boys  who  spend  the  day  in  their  office,  devot- 
ing all  their  leisure  moments  building  a  boat  in  some 
barn  or  shed,  I  cease  to  be  surprised  at  the  demand  for 
articles  on  the  building  of  small  boats,  even  in  spite  of 
the  great  number  of  plans  that  are  illustrated  and  de- 
scribed in  the  different  magazines  devoted  to  the  sport. 
The  building  of  boats  by  amateurs  is  by  no  means 
confined  to  very  small  craft,  as  I  can  recall  to  mind  four 
boats  that  are  being  built  in  the  vicinity  of  Providence, 
by  amateurs  at  the  present  time,  all  of  them  being  over 
32  feet  in  length.  Some  of  them  have  been  started  re- 
cently, others  were  started  long  ago,  and  some  are  far 
from  being  finished  at  the  present  time.  With  one  ex- 
ception,' the  boats  are  being  built  throughout  by  the 
owners  with  assistance,  at  times,  of  their  friends.  The 
exception  had  the  frame  gotten  out  for  him  and  shipped 
K.  D.,  which  means  knocked  down  or  taken  apart  be- 
fore being  shipped.  Another  point  which  shows  a  de- 
cided step  in  the  right  direction  is  that  the  boats  in 
question  were  all  designed  by  competent  men,  and  are 
not  a  sample  of  the  old  rule  of  thumb  type. 

The  average  man  who  wants  a  22  or  25-footer  is  by 
no  means  satisfied  to  consider  a  boat  with  a  speed  of 
6  to  7  miles  an  hour,  even  though  he  wants  a  family  boat. 
A  few  years  ago  when  a  man  wanted  plans  for  a  family 
boat  it  was  supposed  to  be  something  very  wide  and 
comfortable,  that  looked  as  though  it  would  be  impos- 
sible to  capsize,  and,  needless  to  say,  it  was  usually  very 
slow.  Nowadays  when  a  man  wants  a  family  boat  of 
25  feet  in  length  he  is  quite  apt  to  give  the  designer  a 
decided  jolt  by  stating  that  he  must  have  a  speed  of 
12  to  16  miles-,  and  he  is  pretty  apt  to  get  it.  I  don't 
mean  to  infer  by  this  that  he  has  a  boat  of  the  length 
mentioned,  carries  a  Sunday  School  class  in  the  boat,  and 
drives  her  at  the  required  speed,  but  he  can  have  a  boat 
that  with  three  or  four  persons  on  board  can  make  the  re- 


quired speed  and  not  require  an  engine  of  excessive  horse- 
power. At  the  same  time  the  boat  would  be  capable  of  accom- 
modating some  ten  or  more  persons  with  perfect  safety. 
The  speed  mentioned  is  not  by  any  means  the  limit  of 
a  25-foot  boat  as  24  or  more  miles  an  hour  can  be  ob- 
tained, but  the  power  plant  is  usually  something  that 
plays  quite  an  important  part,  and  you  cannot  very  well 
expect  to  obtain  such  a  high  rate  of  speed  with  a  10  or 
20-hp.  engine,  no  matter  how  light  an  engine  you  may 
procure. 

The  boat  I  am  going  to  call  your  attention  to,  and 
try  to  explain  how  to  construct,  is  designed  to  carry  a 
small  engine  weighing  between  600  and  650  pounds. 
You  can  procure  an  engine  of  from  5  to  50  hp.  that  will 
not  exceed  the  weight  in  question,  and  thus  the  power 
question  ought  to  suit  the  most  exacting. 

The  plans  show  the  boat  without  a  skeg  to  protect 
the  propeller,  etc.,  but  I  have  also  shown  the  same  keel 
with  a  shoe  and  skeg  for  those  who  may  prefer  same. 
If  you  are  looking  for  speed,  don't  use  the  skeg  as  it 
simply  means  increased  wetted  surface  and  consequently 
more  resistance. 

Many  of  you  fully  understand  how  to  "lay  down"  the 
lines,  but  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  not  initiated 
into  the  mysteries  and  want  to  start  at  the  beginning,  1 
will  try  and  explain  the  operation  in  as  simple  a  man- 
ner as  I  know  how.  In  the  first  place  it  means  the  re- 
production of  the  lines  full  size  on  the  floor,  or  what- 
ever you  draw  them  upon.  I  shall  have  to  presume  that 
you  have  a  barn  or  suitable  building  in  which  you  intend 
to  build  this  boat;  if  not,  and  you  have  to  rent  one,  select 
a  place  that  has  a  fairly  smooth  floor  and "  plenty  of 
light.  Clear  a  place  on  the  floor  about  27  feet  in  length,, 
and  five  or  six  feet  in  width.  If  the  building  does  not 
possess  a  floor  or  it  is  in  poor  condition,  you  can  make 
up  a  board  large  enough  to  draw  the  lines  on,  using 
spruce  or  hemlock  boards,  cleated  together  on  the  under- 
side. 

It  is  advisable  to  work  from  the  base  line,  and  this  you- 
can  put  in  near  the  edge  of  the  board,  make  a  mark 
at  either  end,  then  with  a  chalk  line  stretched  taut  and 
snapped,  you  should  have  a  straight  line  through  the 
two  points  in  question,  but  as  chalk  is  very  easily  erased 
it  is  advisable  to  mark  over  this  line  with  a  pencil.  Select 
a  board  that  is  true  and  straight  along  the  edge,  and 
use  this  for  a  straight  edge  to  draw  in  the  pencil  line. 
This  line  is  the  base  line  and  all  the  heights  given  on 
the  laying  down  tables  are  above  the  base  line.  Parallel 
to  this  line  and  two  feet  above  same,  strike  in  another 
line,  mark  over  it  with  pencil  to  prevent  it  being  easily 
erased.  This  corresponds  to  L.  W.  L.  (load  waterline) 
on  the  plan.    Above  this  line  (L.  W.  L.)  at  intervals  of 


93 


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5  inches,  you  can  draw  three  more  lines  parallel  to  the  Dase- 
11  ne  and  counting  from  the  L.  W  L.  mark  them  VV  lines, 
I,  2,  and  3,  above,  which  means  above  the  L.  W.  L. 
There  are  still  two  more  lines  to  be  drawn  parallel  to 
those  mentioned,  and  they  are  W.  line  iB  and  W  line  2B. 
W.  line  iB  is  3  inches  below  the  L.  W.  L.  and  2B  is  3 
inches  below  iB  Draw  these  lines  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  others,  and  mark  them  m  their  proper  order  so 
that  you  will  not  make  any  mistakes.  Begin  at  the  right 
hand  side  of  the  baseline  and  with  a  square  draw  a  line 
perpendicular  to  the  base  line,  and  about  4^2  feet  in 
height,  measure  i  foot  to  the  left  and  draw  another  line 
parallel  to  the  first,  then  at  intervals  of  2  feet  draw  12 
more  lines  all  perpendicular  to  the  base  line,  and,  of 
course,  parallel  to  each  other 

'  Begninmg  with  the  second  one  from  the  right,  mark 
this  No.  o.  the  next  No.  2,  the  next  No,  4,  and  so  on 
corresponding  to  the  stations  on  the  plans,  and  perhaps 
It  vvould  be  as  well  while  you  are  putting  in  these 
lines  10  draw  another  line  between  stations  o  and  2,  and 
also  22,  and  24,  numbering  them  i  and  23  respectively , 
then  you  will  have  just  as  many  stations  on  the  board 
as  is  shown  on  the  plans.  Now  if  you  will  consult  the 
laying  down  tables,  you  will  note  that  the  upper  line  of 
the  table  proper  gives  the  heights  (above  the  base  line) 
of  the  sheer  at  the  different  stations,  mark  these  points  on 
the  perpendicular  lines,  taking  great  care  to  have  the 
right  measurement.  Drive  a  small  bung  head  wire  nail 
at  each  point,  then  take  a  batten  about  %  inch  square 
and  27  feet  long,  one  made  from  a  good,  clear,  straight 
grained  piece  of  stock — yellow  pine  is  as  good  as  any- 
thing as  it  will  bend  fair  and  true — spring  this  batten  up 
to  the  nails,  marking  the  points  and  keep  the  batten  in 
position  by  driving  nails  in  the  board  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  batten.     Sight  carefully  along  the  edge  and 


see  that  it  is  a  nice,  fair  curve;  if  there  are  any  short 
kinks  in  it  move  the  batten  until  it  shows  fair  and  tni^ 
and  then  with  your  pencil  draw  in  the  sheerline,  which 
represents   the   height   to   the  top  of   the  phanksheer. 

The  next  line  shown  on  the  tables  is  the  rabbet  line. 
You  can  proceed-  to  put  in  the  points  for  this  line  in  the 
same  manner  as  you  did  the  points  for  the  sheer,  and 
when  your  points  are  all  marked,  spring  your  batten  to 
same  and  mark  the  rabbet  line.  You  will  undoubtedly 
find  that  the  batten  you  have  been  using  for  the  sheer- 
line  IS  too  strong  to  make  the  curve  at  the  forward 
end  of  the  rabbet  line  where  the  stem  connects  with  the 
keel,  and,  therefore,  in  order  to  put  this  in  it  will  be 
found  necessarv  to  have  a  much  lighter  batten.  Procure 
one  about  3-16x5/2  inch  and  if  you  get  one  about  5  feet 
long,  you  can  use  it  for  the  curves  of  the  body  sections. 
In  order  to  complete  the  rabbet  line  to  the  sheerline, 
you  will  have  to  mark  the  distance  the  rabbet  line  is 
from  the  point  of  measurement  on  the  plans,  and  detail 
of  stem.  Mark  each  of  these  and  continue  the  line  to 
the  sheer,  taking  due  care  to  have  it  fair  and  you  can- 
proceed  in  a  similar  manner  to  put  in  the  line  representing 
the  keel  bottom,  taking  the  rrieasurements  from  the  tables. 
The  face  of  the  stem  is  a  continuation  of  the  keel  bot- 
tom and  you  can  get  the  measurements  of  same  from 
the  plans,  or  the  separate  drawing  of  the  stem.  Draw  this 
line  in  the  same  manner  as  you  did  the  rabbet  line.  If 
you  want  to  put  in  sections  9  inches  and  18  inches  out, 
you  can  do  so.  although  you  will  not  derive  a  great  deal 
of  benefit  from  same. 

The  next  thine  is  the  waterlines.  The  table  shows  the 
half  breadths  at  the  different  stations,  beginning  with 
the  sheer.  As  the  amount  of  space  you  have  is  limited, 
you  can  use  the  baseline  as  the  centerline  and  mark 
in  the  waterlines  in  practically  the  same  manner  as  you 


LAYING  DOWN  TABLES  FOR  LINES  N°2I0 

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did  the  rabbet  line  ot.'  the  elevation,  using  the  strong 
batten  where  possible  and  the  lighter  batten  for  the  short 
curves.  Be  sure  and  see  that  all  the  curves  are  fair 
before  you  draw  the  line,  and  in  doing  this,  while  it 
takes  more  time,  it  will  save  you  lots  of  trouble  and 
worry  later  on. 

The  waterlines  do  not  come  to  a  point  at  the  stem, 
being  3-16  inch  out  from  the  centerline.  This  applies 
to  all  the  waterlines  and  if  you  will  bring  them  to  this 
point,  you  will  find  the  advantage  of  doing  so  when  you 
start  to  make  the  stem,  as  each  of  these  lines  can  be  re- 
ferred to.  The  body  sections  should  next  claim  your  at- 
tention. Use  either  of  the  center  stations,  p.  iferably  No. 
12,  as  the  centerline  and  put  in  the  diagonal  lines  A, 
B,  and  C,  as  shown  on  the  plans.  The  tables  show  that 
diagonal  A  intersects  the  perpendicular  2  feet  above  the 
baseline  and  the  baseline  2  feet  out,  therefore,  you  can 
measure  up  on  the  centerline  2  feet  and  you  will  find  that 
tiie  L.  W.  L.  crosses  at  that  point.  Measure  out  on  the  base- 
line 2  feet  either  side  of  the  centerline  and  then  draw  a  line 
through  the  points  on  either  side  and  you  have  diagonal  A, 
Diagonal  B  intersects  perpendicular  2  feet  6  inches  above 
baseline  and  baseline  3  feet  6  inches  out.  The  point 
(in  the  centerline  will  be  where  W.  line  lA  crosses  the 
perpendicular.  Measure  out  3  feet  6  inches  along  the 
baseline  either  side  of  the  centerline,  draw  a  Une  through 
the  points  on  either  side  and  you  have  diagonal  B. 
Diagonal  C  intersects  the  perpendicular  3  feet  above  the 
baseline  and  the  L.W.L.  2  feet  9  inches  out.  The  point 
of  intersection  with  the  centerline  is  where  W.  line  2B 
crosses  same,  and  if  you  mark  a  point  on  the  waterline 
the  required  distance  out  and  then  draw  a  line  through 
the  points,  you  have  diagonal  C. 

It  is  advantageous  to  work  to  the  measurements  on 
the  diagonals  wherever  possible  for  most  of  them  cut  the 
body  sections  at  a  less  acute  angle  than  the  waterlines, 
especially  the  lower  ones.  Where  the  waterlines  or  any 
line  intersects  another  at  an  acute  angle,  there  is  liable 
to  be  a  chance  of  making  a  slight  variation  in  the  meas- 
urement. 

Referring  to  the  tables,  you  will  note  the  half  breadths 
as  given  for  the  sheer,  and  waterlines.  Start  with  sec- 
tion No.  12,  mark  off  the  points  on  the  different  water- 
lines,  then  the  diagonals.  The  height  of  sheer  is  already 
marked  on  the  board  so  that  all  you  will  have  to  do  will 
be  to  get  the  half  breadth  of  the  sheer  and  mark  this 
on  the  point  representing  the  height.  There  is  still  an- 
other point  required  before  you  can  draw  the  section  and 
that  is  the  one  representing  the  rabbet  line.  You  al- 
ready have  the  height  marked  on  the  board.  Draw  a 
line  at  right  angles  to  the  centerline  cutting  the  rabbet- 
line  on  station  No.  12,  and  then  refer  to  the  half  breadth 
plan  of  the  keel  for  the  width  of  the  rabbet  at  this  sec- 
tion and  mark  this  point.  You  can  also  draw  in  two  lines 
on  either  side  of  the  centerline.  one  9  inches  out,  the 
other  18  inches  out.     These  lines  represent  the  sections 


9  and  18  inches  out,  in  a  line  fore  and  aft,  and  used 
to  be  called  bow  and  buttock  lines.  By  using  these  lines 
and  marking  on  same  the  heights  at  different  stations,  it 
will   allow   of  your  having  a  greater   number   of  points 


Fig.  6.    Mold,  Showing  Cleats  and  Cross  Pawl. 

to  draw  your  line  through  that  which  represents  the  body 
section.  Use  the  light  batten,  bend  to  the  points,  keeping 
the  batten  in  position  in  the  same  manner  as  you  did  for 
the  rabbet  and  waterlines.  Ascertain  that  it  is  fair  and 
true  and  draw  the  line. 

You  must  bear  in  mind  that  the  lines  as  laid  down  are 
to  the  outside  of  the  planking  and  if  you  prefer  to  lay 
down  the  body  sections  the  molded  size,  or  the  size  of 
the  inside  of  the  plank,  you  will  have  to  take  off  7-16 
inch  (the  thickness  of  the  plank)  all  around  the  inside 
of  the  curve.  You  can  please  yourself  whether  you  lay 
down  the  lines  as  shown,  or  draw  them  in  to  the  molded 
size.  If  you  prefer  the  latter  method,  you  can  do  so  by 
setting  a  pair  of  compasses  to  the  required  dimensions, 
7-16  inch,  set  the  spur  leg  against  the  inside  of  the 
batten  and  with  the  pencil  end,  draw  the  line  7-16  inch 
inside  of  the  batten;  take  particular  care  to  keep  the 
spacing  an  equal  distance  away  from  the  batten  the  en- 
tire length  of  the  curve. 

Draw  in  all  the  body  sections  you  require,  and  you 
can  proceed  to  finish  the  lines,  for  while  you  have  com- 
pleted them  as  far  as  the  lines  shown  on  the  plan  are 
concerned,  you  still  lack  some  very  important  lines,  such 
as  the  inside  of  the  stem,  the  upper  side  of  the  keel, 
transom  knee,  line  of  shaft,  etc.  These  you  can  obtain 
from  the  construction  plan  and  the  detail  drawing  of 
the  stem,  transom,  etc.  It  is  also  advisable  to  draw  in 
the  scarf  of  the  stem  and  keel,  also  the  transom  knee. 

Having  completed  the  drawing  to  your  satisfaction,  you 
can  proceed  to  get  out  the  molds.  Hemlock,  spruce,  pine, 
or  any  such  material  that  is  not  expensive  is  suitable. 
If  you  want  to  make  molds  for  each  of  the  sections  you 
will  require  about  no  feet  of  J^-inch  stock.     The  prac- 


Fig.  12.    Stocks,  with  Keel,  Stem,  etc.,  Set  Up  on  Them. 


97 


tical  builder  iS  not  apt  to  space  the  molds  every  two 
feet  apart,  but  would  in  all  probability  use  molds  Nos. 
I,  4,  8,  12,  i6,  20  and  23,  setting  them  in  their  proper 
places.  If  you  adopt  this  method,  you  had  better  use 
battens  a  trifle  heavier  than  you  would  use  if  your  molds 
were  spaced  2  feet  apart. 

Take  some  small  wire  nails,  with  large  heads,  lay 
the  head  of  the  nails  on  the  lines,  points  directed  toward 
the  center  of  the  body  sections.  These  nails  should  be 
placed  at  intervals  of  2j^  to  3  inches,  tap  them  with  a 
hammer  to  hold  them  in  position  and  then  on  top  of 
same  press  one  of  the  pieces  of  wood  you  intend  to  use 
for  a  mold.  When  you  raise  the  piece  you  will  note  that 
there  are  a  number  of  small  dents  made  by  the  nail  heads. 
These  represent  the  points  of  the  curve,  and  if  you  use 
your  batten  and  draw  a  line  through  the  points,  you 
have  a  reproduction  of  the  mold.  Saw  to  the  line,  fair 
with  a  plane  or  spokeshave  and  then  mark  on  another 
piece  of  board  a  duplicate  of  same,  and  you  will  have 
the  two  halves  of  one  of  the  molds.  You  should  bear 
in  mind  that  you  will  need  some  marks  to  go  by  when 
setting  up  t^ese  molds,  therefore,  it  is  advisable  to  draw 
the  L.  W.  L.  and  the  sheerline  on  same.  If  you  have 
the  use  of  a  band  or  jig  saw,  you  can  save  time  by 
fastening  the  first  piece  of  wood,  with  the  shape  marked 
thereon,  to  another  piece,  and  saw  them  both  out  at  the 
same  time. 

Fasten  the  mold  together,  using  a  piece  of  stock  about 
2  inches  wide  for  the  cross  pawl,  and  as  a  guide  you 
would  do  well  to  make  the  upper  edge  of  the  cross 
pawls  on  a  line  with  the  mark  representing  the  sheer. 
Carefully  measure  the  completed  mold  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain that  the  widths  at  the  sheer  and  waterlines  are  cor- 
rect. If  you  cannot  get  stock  wide  eiiough  to  make  the 
halves  of  each  mold  m  one  piece,  you  will  have  to  join 
them,  and  the  simplest  method  of  doing  this  is  to  biitt 
the  joints  together  and  cleat  them.     (See  Fig.  No.  6.) 

Place  the  cleats  well  in  from  the  edges,  and  nail  a 
piece  of  stock  across  the  lower  part  of  molds  in  order  to 
have  something  to  fasten  them  to  the  keel.  Make  all 
the  molds  up,  measuring  each  one  carefully  to  see  that 
they  are  exactly  the  same  dimensions  as  the  full-size 
drawing. 

You  may  begin  to  think  that  there  is  a  lot  of  unneces- 
sary measuring,  marking  of  lines  across  the  molds,  etc., 
but  I  can  assure  you  that  if  you  have  a  number  of  points, 
it  will  help  you  check  the  molds  when  they  are  in  posi- 
tion and  show  the  least  error. 

The  practical  man  can  tell  at  a '  glance  whether  the 
molds  are  all  fair,  but  this  does  not  always  apply  to 
the  amateur.  After  you  have  completed  your  molds,  you 
can  proceed  to  get  out  the  stem.  It  is  to  be  of  oak  or 
hackmatack  and  if  you  can  secure  a  natural  crook  large 
enough  to  make  the  stem  and  knee  in  one  piece  it  is  to 
your  advantage  to  do  so,  otherwise  you  will  have  to 
'   make  it  up  of  two  pieces  as  per  plans. 

The  specifications  call  for  the  stem  to  be  sided  2J/2 
inches,  (or,  in  other  words,  it  is  to  be  23/2  inches  from  one 
side  to  the  other,  not  from  the  face  to  the  after  side). 
It  is  a  good  plan  to  get  out  a  template  of  the  stem,  and 
mark  on  same  the  rabbet  line,  and  then  after  cutting  the 
stem  to  the  required  shape  you  can  mark  on  one  side 
the  shape  of  the  rabbet,  reverse  the  template  and  mark 
the  rabbet  on  the  opposite  side.  One  of  the  simplest  meth- 
ods of  doing  this  is  to  bore  a  series  of  holes  through 
the.  rabbet  line  on  the  template  and  then  with  a  drill  or 
awl  reproduce  these  points  on  the  stem,  bend  a  batten 
and  draw  a  line  through  these  points  and  you  have  the 
rabbet  line. 

If'  you  make  the  stem  up  of  two  pieces  fasten  them 
together  with  5-16-inch  bolts,  heads  to  be  riveted  over 
washers,  or  you  can  draw  it  together  with  nuts  and  bolts 


if   you   prefer.     The   heads   should  be   well   countersunk 
and  covered  with  wood  plugs. 

Draw  a  centerline  down  the  face  of  the  stem  and  3-16 
inch  on  either  side  draw  lines.  Fasten  the  stem  in  some 
manner  as  in  a  vise  and  then  proceed  to  trim  from  the 
rabbetline  to   the   line   3-16  inch   from  the  centerline  of 


Fig.  5.     Stem,  with  Dimensions  Marked  Thereon 

face.  Continue  to  where  waterline  2B  crosses  the  stem, 
trim  both  sides  and  this  will  leave  the  face  of  the  stem 
}i  inches  in  width.  Below  the  point  mentioned  (inter- 
section of  W.  line  2B  with  face  of  stem)  the  width  of 
the  face  increases  until  it  is  about  i>^  inches  wide  where 
the  stem  or  knee  joins  the  forward  end  of  the  keel. 
Fasten  the  stem  down  to  your  bench  so  as  to  allow 
you  to  get  at  it  handily  and  proceed  to  cut  the  rabbet. 
A  fid  is  used  by  some  builders  as  a  template  for  cut- 
ting the  rabbet  to  the  required  depth  and  bevel.  As 
the  bevels  on  the  sides  of  the  stem  of  this  craft  are 
fair  with  the  plank  to  a  point  just  below  waterline 
2B  you  can  easily  see  how  the  rabbet  would  require 
to  be  cut  by  trying  a  piece  of  wood  of  the  thickness  of 
the  plank,  7-16  inch,  and  cutting  in  the  stem  until  it 
sets  flush  with  the  side  of  stem  at  the  rabbet  line,  and 
on  the  same  bevel  as  the  sides  of  the  stem  forward  of 
the  rabbet  line.  If  you  want  to  get  this  down  to  the  fine 
point,  you  will  have  to  refer  to  the  full-size  drawing  of 
the  boat:  You  will  note  that  the  plank  at  the  sheer  in- 
tersects the  stem  at  a  certain  angle  and  that  the  intersec- 
tion of  each  of  the  water  lines  is'  of  a  different  angle. 
Make  a  template  showing  these  bevels  and  then  cut  out 
the  rabbet  at  these  points  to  correspond  to  the  bevels 
you  have  taken,  them  trim  and  fair  the  intervening 
spaces  and  you  will  find  that  your  rabbet  is  cut  correctly. 
It  is  not  a  good  plan  to  carry  your  rabbet  clear  to  the 
lower  end  of  the  stem  or  knee  until  it  is  fastened  to 
the  keel,  for  by  finishing  it  afterwards  you  can  be  more 
sure  of  it  being  fair. 

When  you  have  finished  the   stem   set   it  to  one   side 
and  get  out  the  keel.     Select  a  good  piece  of  oak  about 


Fig.  8.    Section  Through  Stem  at  Sheer  and  at  L.W.L. 


98 


Pig.  10.  Showing  Method  of  Constructing  Curve  for  Beams 


24  feet  in  length,  6  inches  wide,  planed  to  ij4  inches  in 
thickness.  Draw  a  hne  through  the  center  and  then  with 
a  square  mark  the  position  of  the  different  stations.  Figure 
4  shows  the  half  breadths  to  the  rabbet  of  the  keel  at  the 
different  stations,  set  these  off  on  either  side  of  the  center- 
line,  then  spring  a  batten  to  the  different  points  and  draw 
the  line,  taking  care  that  the  line  cuts  the  points,  /ou 
will  then  have  the  shape  of  the  underside  of  the  keel  and 
as  the  upperside  is  ^  inches  wider  than  the  rabbet  line 
on  either  side,  you  can  mark  same,  and  cut  to  this  line, 
using  a  band  saw  if  it  is  available.  Smooth  the  edges 
and  then  cut  out  the  rabbet,  which  is  ^  of  an  inch  up. 
If  you  can  get  this  cut  on  a  circular  saw  or  molding 
machine,  it  will  save  you  time,  as  it  is  rather  a  tedious 
job  chipping  it  out  with  a  chisel  and  mallet.  'The  rabbet 
at  the  after  end  and  well  forward  of  station  No.  12  is 
practically  square,  but  it  begins  to  have  a  decided  bevel 
the  nearer  you  get  to  the  stem.  If  you  want  to  know 
just  how  much  this  bevel  is  at  each  of  the  stations  you 
can  mark  out  on  the  full-sized  drawing  the  thickness  of 
the  plank  next  to  the  keel  and  take  the  bevels  off  same. 
The  upper  edge  of  the  keel  is  to  be  well  rounded  on  the 
edges  as  per  Figure  9  and  in  doing  this  it  will  enable 
you  to  make  the  frames  bend  nice  and  fair  where  thev 
cross  the  'keef.  Cut  the  keel  to  the  required  length,  shape 
the  after  end  to  fit  the  transom  knee,  the  forward  end  to 


'iecrio/^  AT  ^r^Tiorfi 


<Scctioai  at  SrAr/ev*/g 


Fig.  g.    Section  Through  Keel  at  Stations  No.  6  and  12 

fit  the  stem,  and  the  keel  is  ready  for  setting  up  on  the 
form. 

The  knee  for  the  transom  is  to  be  of  oak  or  hackmatack, 
preferably  the  latter,  as  it  is  lighter.  It  is  to  be  sided 
three  inches  and  cut  to  shape  as  shown  on  plans-.  Draw 
a  line  through  the  center  of  the  after  side  and  trim  to  the 
same  bevel  as  the  transom,  and  ttien  on  either  side  of  the 
centerline  ^  inch  out,  draw  another  line  which  will  repre- 
sent the  rabbet  line ;  on  either  side  of  the  knee  parallel 
to  the  face  draw  a  line  the  thickness  of  the  plank  for 
transom  and  cut  the  rabbet,  (see  Figure  11).  This  knee, 
when  you  have  finished  the  rabbet  for  the  transom,  can  be 
fastened  to  the  keel  with  5-16-inch  bolts  riveted  over 
washers.  Take  care  that  you  do  not  get  any  bolts  through 
the  knee  where  they  would  be  likely  to  interfere  with  the 
rudder  port.  Before  proceeding  any  further  with  the 
framework  for  the  boat  it  would  be  as  well  to  make  up 


the  stocks  to  hold  the  boat  while  being  constructed.  For 
the  form  of  the  keel  you  can  take  a  piece  of  spruce  plank 
2  inches  in  thickness,  about  10  inches  wide  and  25  feet 
in  length.  Mark  on  same  the  shape  of  the  keel  bottom, 
and  the  stations,  saw  to  th6  line,  square  the  edge  where 
the  keel  will  set  on  same,  and  set  this  form  up  on  posts 
made  of  2x3  or  2x4-inch.  spruce. 

The  bottom  of  the  keel  should  be  about  2>4  feet  above 
fhe  floor  so  that  in  planking  the  boat,  you  will  have  ample 
room  to  work  under  it.  Strike  a  line  on  the  floor  and  set 
the  posts  to  this  line,  at  either  end  of  the  form  cutting  the 
posts  at  such  a  height  that  the  distance  from  the  floor  to 
the  upper  edge  of  the  form  at  stations  Nos.  2  and  23  are 
proportionately  the  same  height  above  the  floor  a,s  they 
would  be  above  the  baseline. 

Perhaps  it  will  simplify  matters  for  you  if  you  make  a 
mark  on  these  posts  representing  the  baseline  and  measure 
up  from  same  to  the  top  of  the  mold  and  the  height  at 
the  different  stations  would  be  the  same  as  is  given  in  the 
table  of  heights  above  baseline  to  keel  bottom.  Of  course, 
you  must  make  sure  that  the  line  representing  the  baseline 
is  i>erfectly  level  irrespective  of  the  floor  as  you  will  un- 
doubtedly work  from  the  Hne. 

About  5  posts  in  all  would  be  enough  to  support  this 
boat.  Brace  them  in  both  directions  so  that  they  will  be 
perfectly  rigid.  (See  Fig.  12.)  Sight  along  the  upper  side 
of  mold  to  ascertain  that  it  is  straight  and  you  can  proceed 
to  get  the  keel  ready  to  fasten  to  same.  Fasten  the  stem 
to  the  keel  with  5-16-inch  bolts  riveted  over  washers. 
The  keel  can  be  fastened  to  the  form  with  long  screws 
placed  about  2  feet  apart.  Put  washers  under  the  screw 
heads  and  this  will  enable  you  to  draw  the  keel  down  to 
the  shape  of  the  form  without  pulling  the  hpads  into  the 
wood.  Plumb  the  stem  and  with  staylaths  fasten  to  the 
rafters  in  order  to  hold  it  in  position,  plumb  the  transom 
knee  and  secure  by  staylaths  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
stem.  Before  you  proceed  any  further,  it  would  be  advisa- 
ble to  check  the  keel,  etc.,  in  order  to  ascertain  whether 
the  centerline  is  straight. 

We  will  assume  that  you  have  Set  the  stem  and  the 
transom  knee  plumb,  so  you  can  take  'an  awl  or  small  nail, 
drive  it  in  the  centerline  at  the  head  of  the  stem  and  an- 
other in  the  centerline  at  the  head  of  the  transom  knee, 
stretch  a  strong  line  or  piano  wire  from  one  to  the  othe'jr, 
then  take  your  plumb  bob  and  drop  a  line  from  same. 
If  the  point  of  the  bob  intersects  the  centerline  of  the  keel 
at  either  end  or  in  fact  anywhere  along  the  line  you  can 
rest  assured  that  the  centerline  of  the  keel  is  straight. 

If  you  have  laid  out  on  the  floor  the  centerline  of  the 
shaft  you  can  now  transfer  it  to  the  keel  and  bore  the 
hole  as  it  can  be  done  more  readily  before  the  molds  or 
frames  are  in  place.  Having  finished  boring  the  hole 
you  can  turn  your  attention  to  the  finishing  of  the  rabbet- 
line  on  the  lower  end  of  the  stem  where  it  connects  with 
the  keel,  and  unless  you  have  already  done  so,  it  is  well  to 
fair  the  rabbetline  at  the  forward  end  of  the  keel.  The 
forward  sections  intersect  the  keel  at  an  acute  angle, 
which  diminishes  as  you  work  aft.  The  bevel  of  the 
rabbt^line  at  any  station  can  be  taken  from  the  lines  laid 
down  on  the  floor.  Some  builders  will  not  finish  trim- 
ing  the  rabbet  on  keel  until  the  molds  are  in  position  and 
use  them  as  a  guide  for  the  bevels,  but  you  will  not  save 
any  time  by  adopting  this  method.  The  transom  should 
be  gotten  out  and  fastened  to  the  knee  before  you  set  up 


99 


the  molds.     Select  a  nice  clear  piece  of  white  pine  H 
inch  thick,  large  enough  to  make  both  sides. 


TftANSOM  f^ANK 


/9f 


Fig.  II.    Section  Through  Knee,  Showing  Angle 

Mark  out  the  shape  as  per  plan  showing  half  ot  the 
transom  (Fig.  13)  cut  out  two  pieces,  one  for  either  side. 
The  dimensiotis  given  on  the  drawing  are  taken  from  the 
center  of  the  knee,  and  as  there  is  a  half  inch  of  stock 
on  either  side  of  the  knee  where  the  transom  plank  sets 
into  the  rabbet,  you  will  have  to  take  off  a  half  inch  from 
both  of  the  pieces.     Carefully  trim  and  fair  the  edges, 


then  mark  on  the  inside  of  both  pieces  the  shape  of  the 
mside  of  the  plank  at  this  point.  Now  mark  another  line 
around  the  edge  where  the  plank  will  be  fastened  to  same, 
this  line  to  be  about  %  inch  in  from  the  afterside.  Cut 
from  the  line  on  the  forward  side  of  these  pieces  to  the 
line  on  the  edge.  By  having  the  y&  inch  of  stock  at  the 
alter  edge,  you  will  have  olenty  of  material  to  calk  to 
when  you  calk  the  ends  of  the  plank,  and  will  not  have 
the  inconvenience  of  breaking  out  little  pieces  along  the 
edge  as  so  often  happens  with  the  amateur  if  the  edges 
of  the  transom  are  brought  to  a  knife  edge. 

The  frame,  or  check  pieces,  which  are  to  be  fastened 
to  the  forward  side  of  the  transom,  should  be  made  of 
oak  about  1%  inches  wide  and  ^  inches  thick.  They 
need  not  be  in  one  piece  and  can  be  made  up  in  sections 
if  you  desire.  See  that  they  are  trimmed  to  the  right 
shape  and  the  edges  bevelled  to  the  right  angle  so  that 
Uie  inner  side  of  the  plank  will  set  fair  against  same 
The  bevels  can  be  obtained  from  the  full-size  drawing  by 
takinc  the  angle  at  which  the  waterlines  meet  the  transom, 
f-asten  the  cheek  pieces  securely  in  position  and  then  you 
can  fasten  the  two  pieces  of  the  transom  plank  to  the 
knee.  Ascertain  that  they  are  set  in  the  right  position, 
and  then  measure  out  from  the  centerline  of  the  keel  to 
some  point  on  either  side  oi  the  transom ;  this  will  show 
you  whether  transom  is  true  with  the  centerline  of  the  keel 
When  you  have  it  in  the  right  position,  fasten  well  with 
staylaths  to  prevent  it  from  getting  out  of  shape 


Part  II 


DIMENSIONS. 

Length,  over  all 25  feet,     9J^   inches. 

Length,     waterline 24  feet,     0       inches. 

'  Breadth,  extreme 5  feet,     0      inches. 

Breadth,  waterline    4  feet,     5!4  inches. 

Draft    to    Rabbet 0  feet,  W^i   inches. 

YOU  can  then  proceed  to  set  up  the  molds,  starting 
amidship  or  at  either  end.  Set  all  molds  forward 
•  of  station  No.  12,  so  that  the  forward  edges  are  on 
the  marks  representing  the  stations,  and  those  aft  of  sta- 
tion No.  12  so  that  the  after  edges  are  on  the  lines  repre- 
.senting  the  stations.  The  reason  for  this  is  occasioned  by 
the  fact  that  the  boat  diminishes  in  breadth  fore  and  aft 
of  the  station  named  and  the  edges  of  the  molds  beirig 
square  would  not  admit  of  the  shape  of  the  hull  being 
the  same  as  the  design.  If  you  placed  the  center  of  the 
molds  over  the  line  representing  the  stations  it  would 
carry  the  forward  edge  of  the  mold  forward  of  the  sta- 
tions from  the  stem  to  the  amidship  station,  and  vice  versa 
from  that  point  aft,  which  would  increase  the  size. of  the 
sections.  You  could  bevel  all  the  molds  if  you  desired, 
but  in  order  to  do  this  you  would  have  to  go  to  a  lot  of 
unnecessary  labor. 

Fasten  the  molds  to  the  keel  with  screws,  plumb  the  face 
of  mold  and  also  plumb  the  centerline,  and  when  you  are 
sure  that  it  is  in  the  correct  position  fasten  with  stay- 
laths  to  the  rafters  Set  up  all  the  molds  in  this  manner, 
and  before  you  put  on  any  battens  go  carefully  over  each 
mold  to  avoid  any  possible  mistake.  Stretch  the  chalk  line 
from  end  to  end  in  a  line  with  the  L.W.L.,  then  go  care- 
fully over  each  mold  to  ascertain  that  the  L.W.L.  marked 
on  same  is  nnt  above  or  below  the  chalk  line. 


If  correct,  you  can  proceed  to  put  on  the  battens.  These 
can  be  made  of  either  spruce  or  yellow  pine.  If  the  latter, 
make  them  about  i^  inches  square,  and  long  enough  to 
reach  from  the  stem  to  the  transom;  if  of  spruce,  about 
i^  inches  square.  Get  clear  stock  so  that  they  will  bend 
fair.  Start  with  the  upper  batten,  which  you  should  place 
so  that  the  lower  edge  touches  the  marks  representing 
the  sheerline,  .fasten  the  forward  end  in  the  rabbet  of  the 
stem  with  a  screw,  bend  carefully  around  the  moldfe  and 
fasten  to  each  one  until  you  get  to  t\\r  last  two  molds,  and 
before  fastening  to  them  cut  the  end  of  the  batten  so  that 
it  will  fit  the  rabbet  of  the  transom;  after  fastening  this 
batten  you  should  put  in  the  upper  batten  on  the  opposite 
side.  The  battens  should  be  spaced  about  9  inches  apart 
at  the  largest  section  or  station,  No.  12,  and  about  equi- 
distant at  the  other  molds,  etc. 

If,  by  any  chance,  you  find  that  the  rabbet  on  the  stem 
or  transom  is  not  cut  to  the  correct  bevel  you  should  trim 
it  fair  before  you  fasten  the  batten.  I  should  suggest 
that  you  put  two  battens  close  together  at  a  point  above 
six  inches  out  from  the  keel  on  either  side,  or  else  use  a 
batten  a  trifle  heavier  than  the  others  on  accoui  '  of  the 
extra  strain  in  making  the  short  bend  in  the  fra  les  afteri 
they  have  crossed  the  keel.  You  will  save  considerable 
time  when  you  start  to  bend  the  frames  into  the  battens 
if  you  will  mark  on  the  keel,  the  upper  batten,  and  one  of 
the  battens  near  the  turn  of  the  bilge,  the  position  of  the 
frames,  as  it  will  save  you  making  a  number  of  measure- 
ments. 

The  specifications  call  for  frames  5^  x  f^  inches,  spaced 
6  inches  center  to  center,  and  to  be  continuous  from  sheer 


100 


to  sheer  from  station  No.  6  aft.  You  will  need  some  good 
clear  white  oak.  The  butts  of  young  trees  furnish  the  best 
stock  and  they  should  be  free  from  knots  and  straight 
grained. 

Unless  you  have  a  steam  box  you  will  have  to  make  one 
to  steam  the  frames  in  before  you  can  bend  them  in  the 
boat.  I  know  of  instances  where  the  frames  have  been 
bent  to  the  required  shape  after  being  immersed  in  a 
trough  of  hot  water,  but  the  making  of  a  steam  box  is  a 
simple  matter  and  as  the  longest  frame  will  not  be  more 
than  9  feet  long,  allowing  for  a  surplus  on  either  side,  you 
can  get  along  very  well  with  a  box  about  12  to  14  inches 
square  and  10  feet  long.  Use  spruce  or  pine,  and  make 
the  joints  tight,  either  by  putting  in  strips  of  flannel  laid 
in  white  lead  or  calk  the  seams  with  cotton.  The  latter 
method  is  preferable.  Close  up  one  end,  and  make  a  door 
for  the  other  end.  It  is  quite  immaterial  how  you  procure 
the  steam  for  the  box.  You  can  use  an  old  iron  kettle 
or  wash-boiler,  or  anything  of  that  description  that  will  be 
suitable  fqr  boiling  a  quantity  of  water  in.  Pipe  from 
the  kettle  or  boiler  to  the  under  side  of  the  steam  box. 
The  steam  does  not  want  to  be  dry  and  hot,  but  should 
be  wet,  and  in  order  to  obtain  the  best  results  you  will 
not  need  to  have  a  great  amount  of  heat  under  the  boiler, 
simply  enough  to  keep  generating  steam.  Put  a  number  of 
frames  in  the  box  and  steam  for  10  minutes ;  take  out  one 
of  the  frames  and  see  if  it  bends  easily ;  if  so,  you  can 
start  to  bend  in  the  frames,  otherwise  you  will  have  to 
give  them  more  time  to  get  thoroughly  saturated  with  the 
steam. 

You  will  find  that  the  bending  in  of  the  frames  is  a 
mighty  slow  job  unless  you  can  get  some  one  to  help  you 
in  handling  them.  Take  one  of  the  frames  and  start  to 
bend  it  inside  of  the  battens.  You  will  find  that  it  readily 
takes  the  required  shape,  and  if  you  have  someone  to  help 
you  he  can  nail  the  frames  to  the  inside  of  the  battens  as 
you  bend  them  in.  The  frame  should  be  Sprung  over  the 
keel  and  first  fastened  to  the  strong  or  double  batten  next 
to  the  keel,  and  then  work  outward  and  up.  Use  small 
common  wire  nails  to  fasten  the  frames  to  the  battens, 
as  they  will  have  to  be  taken  out  when  you  remove  the 
battens.  The  frames,  where  they  cross  the  keel,  should  be 
fastened  with  galvanized  iron  nails  in  preference  to  cop- 
per, as  they  are  much  stronger.  If  you  prefer  to  use 
copper,  get  the  hard  nails  for  this  part  of  the  work,  for 
while  they  will  easily  drive  through  the  frame  while  it  is 
wet  and  pliable,  they  will  not  drive  easily  into  the  oak 
keel. 

I  should  suggest  that  you  start  putting  in  the  frames  at 
the  largest  sections,  and  by  doing  so  you  will  have  ac- 
quired the  knack  of  bending  them,  and  gained  some  ex- 
perience before  you  start  the  bending  of  the  frames  at  the 
after  end  where  the  topsides  "tumble  home."  Frames 
forward  of  Station  No.  6  do  not  cross  the  keel,  and  the 
heels  of  the  same  will  have  to  be  cut  to  fit  properly,  and 
the  same  thing  applies  to  the  frames  in  the  wake  of  the 
stem  and  knee.  The  heels  of  these  frames  must  be  well 
fastened  to  the  keel  or  stem. 

When  you  have  finished  putting  in  all  the  frames,  you 
can  get  out  the  she'erstrakes.  If  you  are  going  to  finish 
the  sheerstrakesin  natural  wood  varnished,  you  had  bet- 
ter use  either  oak  or  mahogany.  The  latter  material  is 
called  for  in  the  specifications.  The  thickness  is  to  be  7-16, 
inch.  Procure  a  board  long  enough  to  extend  from  the 
stem  to  the  transom  in  one  piece,  if  possible,  and  if  you 
intend  to  use  mahogany  there  should  be  no  difficulty  in  ob- 
taining boards  of  the  requisite  length. 

In  order  to  get  the  shape  of  the  sheerstrake  you  will 
need  a  staff  or  spiling  batten,  and  this  can  be  made  from  a 
piece  of  pine,  cedar  or  spruce  about  ^  inch  thick,  8  inches 
wide  and  long  enough  to  extend  from  end  to  end.  or  you 
can  fasten  two  pieces  together  to  make  the  required  length. 
Take  this  spiling  batten  and  bend  around  the  outside  of  the 


frames  below  the  line  representing  the  sheer.  If  the  sec- 
ond batten  from  the  top  is  in  the  way,  it  can  be  removed 
without  fear  of  disturbing  the  frames.  See  that  the  spiling 
batten  lies  flat  and  close  to  the  frames,  and  don't  try  to 
spring  it  edgewise.  Fasten  it  temporarily  in  position  with 
clamps  or  small  brads,  then  mEifk  on-  the  battens  at  each 
mold  a  line  corresponding  to  the  stations.  Take  your 
compasses,  set  them  open  a  trifle  wider  than  the  greatest 
distance  between  the  edge  of  the  spiling  batten  and  the 
sheerline  on  the  molds  and  at  each  of  these  places  sweep 
in  a  segment  of  a  circle  on  the  batten,  cutting  the  vertical 
lines  corresponding  to  the  stations 

Remove  the  spiling  batten,  and  using  same  as  a  guide 
you  can  proceed  to  mark  out  the  sheerstrake  by  proceeding 
as  follows :  Place  the  spiling  batten  on  the  piece  of  wood 
you  intend  to  use  for  the  sheerstrake,  leaving  the  upper 
edge  far  enough  away  from  the  edge  of  the  board  to  make 
sure  that  you  will  have  room  enough  to  get  the  proper 
curve  without  going  beyond  the  edge  of  the  board;-  take 
your  compasses  and  set  them  open  to  about  the  same  dis- 
tance as  you  used  when  marking  the  arcs  or  segments  of 
a  circle  on  the  spiling  batten,  set  the  spur  leg  on  the  points 
where  the  arc  crosses  the  straight  line  and  draw  a  seg- 
ment of  a  circle  on  the  board.  Repeat  this  at  each  place 
you  have  marked,  and  then  cut  the  arcs  on  the  board  with 
a  line  carried  through  the  straight  line  on  the  spiling  bat- 
ten. Remove  the  spiling  batten  and  take  one  of  the  bat- 
tens you  used  in  laying  down  the  lines,  bend  to  the  points 
where  the  right  lines  cross  the  arcs  and  when  you  have  it 
so  that  it  cuts  all  the  points  draw  a  line  through  them, 
cut  the  board  to  this  line  and  you  have  the  shape  of  the 
upper  edge  of  the  sheerstrake.  The  shape  of  the  lower 
edge  is  easily  obtained,  but  you  must  first  determine  the 
width  you  desire  to  have  this  sheerstrake.  It  should  not 
be  more  than  4j4  inches  at  the  widest  place,  which  would 
be  between  stations  No.  12  and  No.  14.  I  would  suggest 
that  you  make  it  4  inches  wide  at  Station  No.  12,  3  inches 
at  Station  No.  2  and  3^  inches  at  Station  No.  23.  Mark 
these  widths  on  the  board  you  have  cut  for  the  sheerstrake, 
measuring  from  the  finished  edge,  and  then,  with  a  strong 
batten  bent  to  the  required  shape,  draw  a  line  cutting  the 
points  you  have  marked,  which  will  produce  a  fair  curve, 
saw  and  plane  to  line  and  you  have  the  shape  of  the  sheer- 
strake. 

Yoii  will  need  a  duplicate  of  this  for  the  opposite  side 
and  you  can  lay  same  on  the  board  that  you  intend  to 
use  for  the  other  side,  mark  around  it,  and  cut  to  shape. 
Take  one  of  these  strakes  and  proceed  to  set  in  position 
preparatory  to  fastening,  bring  the  upper  edge  to  within 
half  an  inch  of  the  sheerline,  for,  as  before  mentioned, 
this  line  represents  the  top  of  the  planksheer,  which  is  to 
be  half  an  inch  in  thickness;  use  your  clamps  to  hold  it  in 
place,  fit  the  forward  end  in  the  rabbet  of  stem  and  fasten 
with  brass  screws 

The  fastenings  in  the  frames  are  to  be  copper  nails  and 
the  round  wire  nail  would  be  the  best.  Sink  the  heads  of 
the  fastening  into  the  planking  deep  enough  to  allow  for 
covering  them  with  wood  plugs.  Put  one  fastening  through 
each  frame  at  the  upper  and  lower  edges  alternately ;  there 
are  more  fastenings  to  go  through  the  sheerstrake  and 
frames  when  the  clamps  and  sill  are  fitted  in. 

When  you  have  fastened  the  sheerstrake  to  within  about 
3  feet  of  the  transom,  you  should  cut  the  end  of  the  plank 
so  that  it  will  fit  nicely  into  the  rabbet.  Take  your  time 
in  doing  this,  for  if  you  cut  it  too  short  you  will  spoil  the 
sheerstrake.  When  fitted,  fasten  with  brass  screws  and 
finish  fastening  the  other  frames.  Repeat  this  operation 
with  the  sheerstrake  on  the  opposite  side,  and  after  put- 
ting on  the  burrs  and  riveting  the  fastenings  you  can 
give  your  attention  to  the  garboard,  such  being  the  name 
of  the  plank  next  to  the  keel. 

To  obtain  the  shape  of  the  garboard  you  will  have  tc 
proceed  in  much  the  same  manner  as  you  did  when  get 


101 


ting  out  the  shape  of  the  sheerstrake.  In  this  case,  how- 
ever, you  will  work  from  the  rabbet  in  keel  instead  of  the 
marks  on  the  upper  part  of  the  molds.  A  great  deal  more 
care  is  required  to  fit  a  garboard  properly  than  a  sheer- 
strake, as  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  it  should  fit  the 
rabbet  in  the  keel  very  closely.  Take  your  spiling  batten, 
or  if  you  -have  some  more  material  of  about  the  same 
thickness  use  that  in  preference  to  the  spiling  batten,  for  if 
you  trim  same  to  fit  the  rabbet  as  I  am  going  to  suggest, 
you  are  apt  to  spoil  the  batten.  Take  the  spiling  batten 
or  a  piece  of  wood  of  about  the  same  dimensions  and  bend 
to  the  frames  close  to  the  keel;  put  on  this  batten  some 
marks  corresponding  to  the  molds  or  other  marks  that  you 
put  on  the  keel,  taking  due  care  that  the  marks  are  at 
right  angles  to  the  keel,  then  take  your  compass,  open  them 
a  trifle  wider  than  the  greatest  distance  from  the  rabbet 
to  the  edge  of  the  batten,  and,  keeping  the  spur  leg  in  the 
corner  of  the  rabbet,  draw  a  series  of  arcs  across  the  right 
lines  you  have  drawn  on  the  batten.  When  you  work  to- 
ward the  forward  end  where  the  rabbet  on  the  keel  con- 
nects with  the  rabbet  on  the  stem,  you  will  need  to  make 
the  right  lines  close  together  in  order  to  get  the  correct 
shape  at  this  sharp  turn.  When  you  have  got  all  the 
points  properly  marked  remove  the  batten,  and  then,  after 
drawing  a  line  through  the  points,  cut  it  to  the  required 
shape  and  fit  it  to  the  rabbet.  If  there  are  any  places  that 
need  trimming,  you  can  readily  see  where  to  pare,  and 
unless  you  have  made  a  poor  job  of  taking  the  spiling  or 
else  not  trimmed  the  batten  carefully,  you  will  have  but 
very  little  work  to  make  the  batten  fit  nicely  into  the  rab- 
bet. When  properly  fitted,  you  can  mark  out  the  shape  of 
the  lower  edge  of  the  garboard  on  the  piece  of  plank  you 
intend  to  usfe  for  thi's  purpose.  The  shape  of  the  other 
edge  is  dbtained  in  practically  the  same  manner  as  you 
did  the  •tower  edge  of  the  sheerstrake. 

As  each  builder  has  his  own  ideas  regarding  the  width 
of  the  garboard,  either  amidship  or  at  the  after  end,  and 
how  far  up  on  the  stem  he  will  have  the  forward  end, 
it  is  scarcely  worth  while  trying  to  set  down  any  rule  for 
this.  You  will  not  be  very  far  astray  if  you  make  the  gar- 
board about  6  inches  wide  at  Station  No.  6,  5  inches  at 
Station  No.  2,  and  5  inches  at  ihe  transom.  These  dimen- 
sions need  not  be  followed  exactly,  but  should  be  kept  in 
about  the  same  ratio. 

I  will  assume  that  you  have  learned,  by  this  time,  that 
the  edge  of  the  planks,  whether  garboard  or  any  other 
strake,  should  be  a  fair  curve.  When  you  have  one  of 
the  garboards  cut  to  shape  and  planed  fair  and  true  on 
the  edges,  you  can  draw  a  duplicate  of  same  on  a  piece  of 
board  for  the  garboard  on  the  opposite  side,  and  then  you 
can  proceed  to  fasten  in  position  the  one  you  have  al- 
ready fitted  However,  before  you  do  so,  it  is  necessary 
to  put  stopwatbrs  in  the  joints  where  the  stem  connects 
with  the  keel.  Bore  a  hole  }i  inch  diameter  through  the 
joint  in  the  rabbet,  and  fill  same  with  a  soft  pine  plug. 
This  will  prevent  the  water  working  through  the  joint 
when  the  garboard  seam  is  calked ;  also  put  a  stopwater 
through  the  joint  at  the  after  end  of  the  keel,  and  transom 
knee.  You  will  probably  find  it  necessary  to  steam  the 
forward  end  of  the  garboard,  as  there  is  considerable  twist 
to  it.  There  is  no  need  to  steam  more  than  S  or  6  feet  of 
the  forward  end. 

When  you  have  it  well  saturated 'fit  the  forward  end  in 
the  rabbet,  taking  special  care  to  have  it  come  in  the  same 
position  as  it  was  when  you  took  the  spiling  and  fitted  it. 
Tasten  with  brass  screws,  spacing  them  about  3^4  inches 
apart  until  well  around  the  curve  at  the  forward  end.  Fas- 
ten the  upper  edge  of  the  plank  to  the  frames  with  copper 
-nails,  first  countersmking  for  the  head.  The  fastenings  in 
the  lower  edge  are  to  go  through  the  keel  above  the  rabbet, 
-one  fastening  to  go  through  the  keel  and  each  frame,  and 
one  through  the  keel  between  each  of  the  frames.  When 
boring  for  the   fasaenings,   take   care  to  have   the  hole 


through  the  center  of  the  frame.  The  frames  that  cross 
thfe  keel  will  not  touch  the  center  of  the  garboard,  it  simply 
bears  in  the  rabbet  and  on  the  outer  edge,  and  inasmuch 
as  there  should  be  one  fastening  at  each  frame  through 
the  center  of  the  garboards  if  they  are  made  the  width 
suggested,  or  wider,  and  it  will  be  necessary  to  cut  some 
wedge-shaped  pieces  of  wood  to  fit  between  the  frames  and 
plank  at  these  points  before  you  rivet  them,  otherwise 
when  you  riveted  the  nails  you  would  draw  the  center  of 
the  plank  out  of  shape.  The  garboard  on  the  opposite  side 
can  be  fastened  in  position,  and  you  should  bear  in  mind 
that  the  upper  edge  of  the  forward  end  ought  to  be  in  a 
direct  line  across  the  stem  from  the  one  on  the  opposite 
side. 

Before  getting  6ut  or  putting  on  any  more  of  the  lower 
planks,  it  would  be  well  to  fit  the  keelsons  and  fasten  them 
in  position,  as  you  can  do  this  so  much  easier  at  this  time 
than  after  the  planking  is  in  position;  but  in  order  to  set 
the  keelsons  it  will  be  necessary  to  remove  the  molds,  and 
before  you  do  that  you  had  better  put  on  three  or  four 
strakes  on  either  side  below  the  sheerstrake.  so  as  to  bind 
the  frame  together,  and  make  sure  that  it  will  not  change 
its  shape  when  the  molds  are  removed. 

In  order  to  find  out  the  widths  of  the  strakes  you  must 
first  determine  how  many  planks  you  will  have  on  either 
side.  Start  with  the  frame  that  has  the  greatest  distance 
between  the  edge  of  the  garboard  and  the  sheerstrake, 
and  space  out  the  planks  on  same.  The  widest,  planks 
should  be  nearest  the  keel  and  the  narrowest  ^t  the  turn 
of  the  bilge.  If  you  made  the  garboard  6  inches  wide  at 
the  frame  you  are  measuring  on,  you  could  space  off  5>4 
inches  for  the  next  plank,  then  4>4,  4j4>  4.  and  the  balance 
about  3J^  inches.  Mark  on  the  stem,  around  the  transom, 
and  two  intervening  points  the  spacing  of  the  plank,  keep- 
ing the  widths  in  about  the  same  ratio.  When  you  have 
them  marked"  on  the  different  frames  you  will  be  able  to 
ascertain  how  the  plank  will  appear  when  in  position,  and 
if  these  point^  do  not  seem  to  come  in  a  fair  line  go  care- 
fully over  the  spacing  again,  find  out  where  the  error  ils 
and  rectify  it. 

All  the  planking  of  the  boat  should  be  widest  at  the 
'midship  section,  and  from  this  point  forward  and  aft  they 
should  have 'a  gradual  taper,  and  not  be  ^vide^  eithet  for- 
ward or  aft  of  the  'midship  section.  This  does  not  apply 
to  the  garboard,  for  in  some  instances  the  shape  of  the 
garboard  is  very  peculiar,  and  if  .the  boat  had  a  different 
type  of  stem  it  would  not  apply  to  the  planking. 

You  will  not  need  any  instructions  how  to  get  out  the 
planks,  for  the  marks  on  the  frames  will  give  yoti  the 
widths  at  the  different  poiftts,  and  you  will  work  first  from 
the  lower  edge  of  the  sheerstrake,  taking  the  spiling  frorn 
same,  transferring  it  to  the  plank,  cut  to  shape-  then  set  off 
the  widths  at  the  proper  places,  draw. a  line  through  the 
points  and  cut  the  lower  edge  to  shape.  When  you  have 
the  plank  cut  to  the  required  shape  you  will  find  that  if 
the  edge  of  the  plank  is  left  square  with  the  face  that 
when  you  set  this  edge  up  to  the  edge  of  the  sheerstrake 
the  seam  is  open  wider  in  the  center  than  at  the  ends,  and 
you  must  trim  the  edge  so  as  to  have  the  seams  open  on 
the  outside  about  1-16  of  an  inch  the  entire  length.  Take 
the  bevels  off  the  edge  of  the  sheerstrake  at  intervals  and 
plane  the  edge  or  the  plank  that  is  to  be  fastened  next  to 
same  to  correspond  to  these  bevels  or  nearly,  so,  as  the 
joints  of  all  the  planks  should  be  tight  on  the  inside  and 
open  on  the  outside  so  as  to  receive  the  calking  cotton. 
You  must  keep  in  mind  the  fact  that  all  the  planks  wjll 
have  to  be  bevelled.  Another  thing  to  which  I  will  call 
your  attention  at  this  time  is  the  fact  that,  after  you  have 
put  on  one  or  two  strakes  below  the  sheerstrake  you  will 
have  to  cope  Or  hollow  the  planks  on  the  inside  so  that 
they  will  fit  close  to  the  frames,  and  as  the  specifications 
call  for  the  planking  to  finish  7-16  inch  in  thickness,  the 
planks  that  are  coped  will  have  to  be  thicker  than  the: 


102 


others.  If  the  coping  amounts  to  about  1-16  of  an  inch  or 
mcic,  have  the  plank  that  much  thicker  and  when  you 
have  it  coped  to  fit  set  your  gauge  to  7-16  inch  and  from 
the  inside  of  plank  mark  both  the  upper  and  lower  edges, 
and  then  bevel  them  from  the  outside  of  the  plank  to  the 
gauge  mark,  the  bevel  being  about  I  inch  in  length.  This 
will  materially  assist  you  when  you  plane  the  outside  of 
the  planking,  for  if  you  jack  the  plank  down  until  you  are 
close  to  the  seams  that  are  bevelled  in  this  manner  you 
can  be  reasonably  sure  that  the  plank  will  be  an  even 
thickness. 

After  you  have  fastened  four  strakes  on  either  side  you 
can  remove  the  molds.  As  you  take  each  one  out,  fasten 
a  brace  across  the  upper  edge  from  one  side  to  the  other, 
nailing  them  to  the  frames  to  prevent  the  boat  spreading, 
and  also  secure  with  staylaths  overhead  at  intervals. 

You  can  now  give  your  attention  to  the  keelsons.  These 
should  be  in  one  length.  Select  two  nice,  clear  pieces  of 
spruce  and  plane  to  the  required  thickness;  measure  out 
from  the  center  of  the  keel  to  the  inside  of  the  keelsons. 
The  plans  show  that  these  are  to  be  spaced  17  inches 
apart,  therefore,  you  will  measure  out  from  the  centerline 
half  that  distance,. and  mark  the  frames  at  intervals.  Take 
one  of  the  pieces  and  set  it  to  the  marks  on  the  inside  of 
the  frames.  It  will  not  touch  any  of  the  frames  in  the 
wake  of  Station  No.  12  by  several  inches,  but  if  you  fasten 
it  in  some  manner  or  another,  keeping  it  upright,  you  can 
get  the  shape  of  the  lower  edge  by  taking  your  compasses 
and  marking  it  at  intervals  in  much  the  same  manner  as 
you  take  the  spiling  of  the  plank.  Remove  the  piece  and 
after  bending  a  batten  to  the  points  and  drawing  a  line 
through  same,  cut  to  shape.  If  you  feel  satisfied  that  you 
can  get  the  correct  shape  the  first  time,  it  would  pay  you 
to  take  the  trouble  of  marking  both  sides  of  this  keelson 
and  thus  get  the  bevel,  and  also  mark  the  places  that  have 
to  be  cut  out  to  allow  it  to  fit  over  the  frames.  If  you  are 
not  sure  of  your  ability  in  this  line,  you  had  better  trim 
roughly  as  suggested,  then  set  it  in  position,  fasten  with 
clamps  or  some  simple  method,  and  proceed  to  mark  on 
both  sides  the  location  of  the  frames,  setting  a  straight 
line  on  either  side  of  the  frames,  and  the  compasses  will 
be  brought  into  play  again  to  mark  the  required  depth 
that  the  keelson  is  to  be  cut  to  allow  it  to  fit  over  the 
frames. 

1  would  suggest  that  you  allow  a  depth  of  about  1-16 
inch  more  than  the  thickness  of  the  frames,  so  that  the 
lower  edge  of  the  keelson  will  project  below  the  frames, 
and  then  when  it  is  in  position  you  can  plane  oflf  the  sur- 
plus stock;  and  if  this  is  done  carefully  the  inside  of  the 
plank  will  fit  tight  against  the  lower  edge  of  the  keelson. 
Both  keelsons  will  have  to  be  fitted  in  the  same  manner  and 
the  height  at  the  diflferent  stations  can  be  taken  from  the 
plans.  When  you  fasten  them  in  position,  use  either  gal- 
vanized iron  nails  or  brass  screws,  bore  through  the  frame 
and  fasten  into  the  keelson  at  each  alternate  frame. 

As  the  bilge  clamps  are  easier  to  set  in  position  before 
the  boat  is  planked,  you  might  as  well  put  them  in  before 
proceeding  with  the  planking. 

The  specifications  call  for  tl;e  bilge  clamps  to  be  made 
of  spruce  ^  x  3  inches.  Select  good,  clear  stock  and  work 
to  the  required  shape.  They  are  to  be  tapered  to  2  inches 
at  the  ends,  and  this  taper  should  be  about  8  feet  long  at 
the  forward  end  and  about  6  feet  at  the  after  end.  Plane 
and  finish  them  before  you  fasten  in  position.  Spring 
the  center  in  to  the  frames  at  the  same  point  as  shown  on 
the  plans,  and  the  forward  end  to  approximately  the  same 
point  as  shown  on  plans,  although  you  must  be  guided  to 
a  great  extent  by  thS  shape  it  assumes.  It  is  not  advisable 
to  spring  it  edgewise,  and  it  should  be  allowed  to  assume 
such  a  shape  that  it  will  lie  close  to  the  frames  and  not 
have  either  of  the  edges  standing  up  from  same.  When 
you  are  sure  you  have  it  in  the  correct  position,  fasten 
with  copper  nails  3-32-inch  diameter  and  rivet  over  burrs 


on  the  inside.  The  fastenings  should  be  alternately  near 
the  upper  and  lower  edge,  one  fastening  through  each 
frame.  When  the  bilge  clamps  are  in  position,  you  can 
start  planking  again.  Start  with  the  plank  next  to  the 
garboard  and  work  upwards.  After  fastening  a  plank  on 
one  side  fasten  the  duplicate  on  the  other  side ;  don't  put 
two  or  three  planks  on  one  side  of  the  boat  and  then  two 
or  three  on  the  opposite  side.  Watch  the  forward  and 
after  ends  of  the  planks  as  you  progress  and  see  that  you 
do  not  gain  faster  on  one  side  than  the  other,  for  if  there 
is  anything  that  looks  bad  it  is  to  have  the  wood  ends  on 
one  side  of  the  stem  or  transom  higher  than  the,y  are  on 
the  other  side.  However,  if  you  are  careful  to  shape  and 
fit  the  planks  to  the  marks  you  have  made  on  the  frames 
you  are  not  likely  to  experience  this  trouble. 

The  last  plank  to  be  fitted  in  is  called  the  shutter,  and 
I  should  advise  you  taking  a  spiling  for  both  edges  of  this 
and  for  both  sides  of  the  boat,  for  if  there  is  any  variation 
in  the  space  on  either  side  it  will  be  necessary.  Take  par- 
ticular care  to  have  the  shutter  large  enough;  it  should 
be  a  good  driving  fit,  and  it  will  then  help  to  tighten  up 
all  the  planking.  You  will  find  that  you  cannot  rivet  the 
nails  over  burrs  where  the  fastenings  come  in  the  wake 
of  the  bilge  clamps,  and  the  best  plan  would  be  to  fasten 
the  planks  at  such  places  with  brass  screws. 

If,  for  any  reason,  you  prefer  to  use  planks  that  are  not 
full  length  you  can  do  so.  The  joints  should  come  be- 
tween the  frames  and  be  well  fastened  to  oak  butt  blocks. 
Make  the  blocks  the  same  thickness  as  the  frames  and  cut 
to  the  shape  of  the  inside  of  the  plank.  The  blocks  should 
extend  from  frame  to  frame  and  be  about  1/2  inch  wider 
than  the  plank  which  butts  on  them. 

The  seams  should  be  roughed  down  with  a  jack-plane 
before  the  boat  is  calked,  but  there  is  no  need  to  try  to 
plane  the  outside  smooth  until  after  the  calking  has  been 
done,  for  then  it  can  be  planed  to  much  bfetter  advantage. 

If  you  have  decided  to  calk  the  boat  yourself,  you  can 
now  proceed  with  same;  but  I  should  strongly  advise  your 
procuring  the  services  of  an  experienced  man.  In  spite 
of  the  fact  that  it  looks  easy  to  do  such  work  when  you 
watch  a  calker  driving  in  cotton,  there  is  a  great  deal 
more  to  it  than  appears  to  the  amateur.  It  is  not  simply 
a  matter  of  driving  in  cotton;  a  great  deal  depends  upon 
how  much  cotton  rs  required,  and  how  hard  to  drive  it.  If 
you  want  to  finish  the  job  yourself,  and  would  like  to  do 
this  calking,  take  a  small  strip  of  fine  calking  cotton  and 
drive  it  into  the  seams,  using  a  thin  calking  iron  and  mal- 
let. This  cotton  should  not  be  driven  in  the  seam  in  a  line 
like  a  piece  of  rope,  but  keep  catching  back  a  loop  every 
inch  or  so,  and  tap  it  in  place  until  you  have  proceeded  in 
this  manner  for  a  few  feet,  then  go  over  it  with  the  calk- 
ing iron  and  drive  it  in. until  it  is  about  Yz  of  an  inch  be- 
low the  surface  of  the  plank.  If  you  find  it  drives  in  easy 
use  more"  cotton,  if  too  hard,  less  cotton.  The  man  who 
makes  a  business  of  calking  when  he  finishes  to  a  certain 
point  leaves  the  end  of  the  cotton  showing  and  does  not 
drive  this  in  place  until  he  starts  to  continue  the  calking 
of  the  seam,  and  in  this  manner  avoids  missing  any  places. 
You  will  have  to  calk  the  seam  in  the  stem,  and  also 
around'  the  transom.  The  garboard  seam  will  probably 
require  more  cotton  than  any  of  the  others,  but  this  de- 
pends entirely  upon  how  well  you  have  done  y-our  work, 
whether  the  seams  are  large  or  small. 

The  deck  clamps,  which  are  to  be  of  spruce,  J^  x  3 
inches  amidship,  tapered  at  the  ends  the  same  as  the 
bilge  clamps,,  can  now  be  gotten  out.  Select  good  clear 
stock ;  small  fine  knots  are  not  detrimental,  but  avoid 
any  stock  with  large  knots  or  short  grain,  as  the  clamps 
should  be  strong.  Set  the  upper  edge  of  the  clamp  the 
proper  distance  (see  plans)  and  fasten  in  position,  using 
bolts  or  nails  3-32-inch  diameter.  The  fastenings  are  to  be 
through  sheerstrake,  frame  and  clamp  and  to  be  riveted 
over  burrs  on  the  inside.    Do  not  place  them  in  a  direct 


103 


line;  they  should  be  staggered,  being  placed  alternately 
near  the  upper  and  lower  edges  of  the  clamp.  When  ^ou 
have  finished  fastening  the  clamps  you  can  get  out  the 
quarter  knees,  fit  them  and  fasten  to  the  clamp  and  tran- 
som, and  then  get  out  the  breast  hook ;  fit  this  carefully  to 
the  stem  and  inside  of  the  sheerstrake  and  fasten  securely. 
It  is  a  good  plan  to  make  the -breast  hook  high  enough  in 
the  center  to  allow  of  it  being  worked  down  to  the  crown 
of  the  underside  of  the  deck. 

The  shelves  are  to  be  of  spruce,  to  finish  %  x  2^  inches, 
and  you  will  require  two  pieces  long  enough  to  make  them 
without  any  joint;  cut  and  plane  to  the  prciper  size,  and 
then  bevel  the  edge  so  as  to  have  the  upper  side  on  the 
same  bevel  as  the  planksheer,  clamp  in  position  and  fasten 
through  the  sheerstrake.  It  is  advisable  to  fasten  this 
shelf  through  each  third  frame,  selecting  such  frames  as 
have  the  fastenings  through  the  clamp  near  the  lower 
edges,  otherwise  you  would  in  all  probability  get  too  many 
fastenings  through  the  heads  of  the  frames,  and  thus  tend 
to  weaken  them.     Put  in  a  few  fastenings  through  the 

', shelf  into  the  upper  edge  of  the  clamp;  one  about  every 

I  20  inches  would  be  sufficient. 


For  the  after  deck  you  will  require  three  beams  ]4xi}i 


the  point  B,  draw  the  curve  C  a  b  c  B.  This  curve  will 
be  a  segrnent  of  a  circle,  but  as  it  only  represents  half  of 
the  beam,  and  if  A  N  is  made  equal  to  A  B  and  a  similar 
construction  made,  then  B  t  M  will  represent  the  curve  of 
the  beam.  When  you  have  constructed  one  of  these  arcs 
you  will  find  that  it  is  a  very  simple  matter  to  make  the 
others,  and  if  you  set  out  each  beam  in  this  manner  you 
will  find  that  the  centerline  of  the  forward  deck  is  a 
straight  line,  and  the  curve  of  the  deck  fair  and  true. 
When  you  have  cut  out  the  beams,  fasten  them  to  the 
clamps  and  then  get  out  the  coaming  knees.  Make  these 
of  spruce,  fasten  well  to  the  beams,  etc.,  and  trim  the 
upper  side  so  that  you  will  have  a  fair  curve.  Trim  the 
inside  edge  of  the  knees  so  that  they  are  plumb  and  cut  to 
the  same  curve  as  the  forward  end  of  the  coamiiig.  Fit  in 
between  the  beams  blocks  for  the  bleat  and  cowl  ventilator 
as  per  plans. 

You  can  now  give  your  attention  to  the  pieces  to  make 
the  planksheer,  which  is  the  plank  on  the  outer  edge  of 
the  deck.  The  specifications  call  for  this  to  be  made  of 
mahogany  J4  inch  thick ;  it  is  to  be  4  inches  in  width,  from 
the  after  end  of  the  cockpit  to  a  point  about  2  feet  aft 
of  the  forward  end  of  the  coaming  aro.und  the  hood,  and 


o  p 


Fig.  10 — Showing  Method  of  Constructing  Curve  for  Beams 


inches.  The  camber  or  crown  of  the  after-deck  beams  is 
2>4  inches  in  4  feet.  Cut  the  ends  of  the  beams  into  the 
clamp  about  %  inch  and  fasten  to  same.  Set  in  between 
the  beams  a  block  of  oak  as  shown  on  the  construction 
plan  for  the  tow-post  to  be  mortised  through.  Trim  the 
quarter  knees  to  the  same  crown  as  the  deck  beams  and 
the  after  deck  frame  will  be  ready  for  the  deck  plank. 

The  beams  for  the  forward  deck  are  .segments  of  cir- 
cles, each  one  having  a  different  radius,.  The  simplest  way 
for  you  to  get  put  these  beams  is  to  saw  them  to  shape, 
for  if  they  were  bent  to  shape  you  would  have  to  make  a 
separate  mold  for  each  one.  One  method  of  getting  the 
curve  of  these  beams  is  to  sweep  in  the  curve  by  using  a 
long  stafT  with  a  pencil  attachment  at  one  end,  but  as  this 
requires  a  long  arm  to  get  the  proper  radius  the  best  and 
simplest  way  is  to  construct  the  curve  geometrically. 
There  are  several  methods  of  constructing  a  segment  of  a 
circle,  that  has  a  radius  greater  than  can  be  drawn  with 
the  usual  compasses,  but  I  will  deal  with  one  of  the  sim- 
plest for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  not  well  versed  in 
geometry. 

We  will  take  as  ai}  example  the  beam  at,  the  forward 
end  of  the  coaming;  the  center  of  the  beam  is  3%  inches 
above  the  edge  of  the  sheerstrake,  and  the  width  of  the 
boat  at  this  point  measured  inside  of  the  upper  edge  of 
the  sheerstrake  is  45  inches.  Using  these  dimensions  for 
the  base  and  height,  you  can  proceed  to  construct  a  curve 
as  per  Fig.  10.  Draw  a  straight  line,  A  B,  equal  to  half 
the  length  of  the  beam,  from  the  point  A  draw  A  C  per- 
pendicular to  A  B  and' in  length  equal  to  the  crown  of 
the  beam,  draw  a  line  from  B  to  C,  and  from  the  point  B 
draw  B  P  perpendicular  to  B  C;  through  C  draw  C  P 
parallel  to  A  B.  Divide  A  B  and  C  P  into  any  number 
of  equal  parts,  the  same  number  in  each,  and  join  those 
opposite  to  each  other  as  D  G,  E  H.  F  I.  Through  B  draw 
B  O  perpendicular  to  A  B,  cutting  C  P  at  O.  Divide 
B  O  into  the  same  number  of  equal  parts  as  A  B  or  C  P 
and  join  C  with  each  of  the  divisions.  Then  through  the 
point  C,  the  point  a  where  D  G  cuts  C  J,  the  point  b 
where  E  H  cuts  C  K.  the  point  c  where  F  I  cuts  C  L.  and 


from  this  point  forward  it  is  to  have  a  slight  taper;  the 
after  end  should  also  be  slightly  tapered.  You  will  have 
to  cut  this  plank  to  the  proper  shape  before  starting  to 
fasten  it,  and  if  you  have  been  able  to  get  out  the  proper 
shape  of  the  different  planks  there  is  scarcely  any  need 
for  me  to  explain  how  to  get  the  shape  of  the  planksheer. 
You  will  not  he  able  to  get  it  out  of  one  piece  on  account 
of  the  curve,  and  therefore  I  would  suggest  that  you  have 
the  joint  about  midway  bet\yeen  the  forward  and  after 
end  of  the  engine  hood.  Naturally  you  will  have  to  be 
guided  to  some  extent  by  the  length  and  width  of  the  stock 
you  can  procure.  When  you  have  the  pieces  cut  out  for 
the  planksheer,  begin  to  fasten  at  the  forward  end  and 
work  aft;  fasten  in  position  the  pieces  across  the  after  end 
of  the  after  deck,  and  strike  a  centerline  on  the  deck 
beams  fore  and  aft.  This  line  is  to  be  used  as  a  guide  for 
laying  the  deck  plank. 

The  specifications  call  for  the  deck  plank  to  be  made  of 
mahogany  yi  inch  thick  and  3  inches  in  width.  Starting 
with  the  after  deck,  bring  the  edge  of  the  first  piece  up  to 
the  centerline,  fit  the  after  end  and  fasten  with  brass 
screws,  countersinking  the  heads  so  that  the  fastenings 
can  be  covered  with  wood  plugs.  Work  in  the  plank  on 
either  side,  fastening  them  as  soon  as  you  fit  them,  and 
before  fitting  the  next  one.  Proceed  in  this  manner  until 
the  deck  is  covered  and  you  can  proceed  in  the  same  man- 
ner to  cover  the  forward  deck.  If  you  are  particularly 
anxious  to  make  a  very  nice  job  of  the  deck,  you  can  taper 
each  piece  of  plank,  and  not  carry  them  on  a  straight  line, 
as  suggested.  To  obtain  the  shape  of  the  planks  if  worked 
in  this  manner,  you  would  have  to  decide  first  how  many 
pieces  of  plank  you  intended  to  use;  space  them  on  the 
beam  having  the  greatest  length  and  then  space  the  rest 
of  the  beams  for  the  same  number  of  plank.  It  is  much 
the  same  operation  as  I  suggested  for  setting  out  the 
planks  after  you  had  the  sheerstrake  and  garboard  in 
position 

The  under  side  of  the  plank  for  the  forward  deck  will 
undoubtedly  have  to  be  coped  to  fit  the  round  of  the  beams. 

Calk  the  seams  lightly  with  a  fine  thread  of  yacht  cot- 


104 


ton,  and  if  the  deck  is  to  be  finished  bright,  plane  roughly 
to  the  required  shape  and  fill  the  seams  with  white  lead 
putty,  unless  you  prefer  to  use  the  elastic  seam  composi- 
jion  or  marine  glue.  The  final  finishing  of  the  deck  should 
not  be  considered  at  this  stage  of  the  game;  it  is  far  better 
to  leave  this  until  all  the  principal  woodwork  is  finished. 

The.  engine-bed  should  be  fitted  and  fastened  before  you 
start- ft)  put  in  the  beams  for  the  cockpit  deck. 

Tftc  length  of  the  bearers  for  the  engine-bed  wilFdepend 
to  a  great  extent  upon  the  engine  you  intend  installing, 
and  that  will  also  govern  the  thickness  of  same.  The  spec- 
ifications call  for  the  bearers  to  be  sided  2  inches.  They 
should  be  fitted  over  the  frames  the  same  as  the  lower  edge 
of  the  keelsons,  and  be  well  fastened  to  same.  The  height 
of  the  upper  edge  of  the  fore  and  aft  bearers  would  be  de- 
termined by  the  distance  the  underside  of  the  engine-bed 
where  it  rests  on  the  bearers  is  above  or  below  the  center- 
line  of  the  crank-shaft.  You  will  have  to  obtain  the  meas- 
urement before  fitting  the  fore  and  aft  bearers,  and  should 
also  obtain  the  width  that  will  be  required  between  the 
bearers. 

To  obtain  the  line  of  the  center  of  the  shaft,  you  should 
use  a  piece  of  very  hard  laid  fish  line,  or,  better  still,  a 
piece  of  piano  wire.  Set  out  the  height  on  the  post  sup- 
porting the  after  end  of  the  stocks,  and  another  point  in- 
side of  the  boat  well  forward  of  where  the  flywheel  of 
the  engine  will  set.  Fasten  a  piece  of  board  to  the  frames 
and  have  the  upper  edge  a  trifle  higher  than  the  center  of 
the  line  at  this  point^cui  a  nick  in  the  edge,  so  that  when 
the  wire  sets  in  same  it  will  be  the  proper  height,  take  the 
other  end  through  the  hole  in  the  keel,  and  as  the  form 
will  prevent  your  drawing  the  line  directly  aft  to  the  point 
representing  the  center  of  the  shaft,  you  will  have  to  bore 
through  the  form  or  you  can  cut  part  of  it  away,  so  long 
as  you  leave  enough  to  support  the  boat  properly.  Bore  a 
hole  through  the  center  of  the  end-post  and,  pulling  the 
wire  through  this  to  the  required  height,  draw  it  as  taut 
as  possible,'  and  you  can  then  measure  to  this  line,  either 
up  or  down  as  the  case  may  be  for  the  upper  side  of  the 
engine  bearers. 

When  you  have  them  fitted  and  fastened,  if  there  is 
room  enough  between  the  after  side  of  the  flywheel  and 
the  forward  end  of  the  crank-case  to  admit  of  using  a 
good-sized  athwartship  bearer,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  fit  one 
in  position  and  if  possible  to  bolt  through  the  keelsons, 
fore  and  aft  bearers  and  the  athwartship  bearer,  as  it 
makes  the  engine-bed  more  solid  and  tends  to  eliminate 
the  vibration  of  the  engine  by  distributing  it  more  evenly. 
One  of  these  athwartship  bearers  at  the  after  end  of  the 
engine  is  also  to  be  recommended. 

If  you  have  your  engine  on  hand,  it  would  be  advisable 
to  set  it  in  position  and  fasten  to  the  bed  and  then  line  up 
the  shaft  and  fit  the  shaft  tube,  otherwise  ycu  will  have 
to  leave  part  of  the  cockpit  deck  open  until  the  shaft  tube 
is  fitted.  The  drawing.  Fig.  14,  shows  the  type  of  shaft 
tube  such  as  I  use  on  my  boats,  but  if  you  prefer  vou  can 
purchase  one  of  the  adjustable  shaft  tubes  that  are  now 
on  the  market.  You  can  put  in  the  exhaust  pipe  and  water 
connections  and,  in  fact,  finish  all  the  pipine  of  the  en- 
gine much  more  readily  at  this  period  than  later  on,  when 
you  would  have  to  take  up  floors,  etc. 

Bore  the  hole  through  the  transom  knee  and  fit  in  the 
rudder  port,  which  is  to  be  made  of  brass  pipe  fitted  with 
a  stuffing-box  and  lock-nut  as  per  Fig.  20.  The  lower 
end  of  the  port  should  be  threaded  and  extend  through  to 
the  under  side  of  the  keel,  and  fit  tightly  in  the  hole  to 
obviate  any  chance  of  a  leak  around  same. 

The  cockpit  beams  should  be  placed  in  position  and  fas- 
tened. They  are  to  be  of  spruce,  sided  %  inch,  molded 
154  inches.  Space  them  as  shown  on  the  construction 
plan,  fastening  the  ends  securely  and  setting  short,  upright 
pieces  for  stanchions  over  the  keel  wherever  necessary. 
The  cockpit  deck  is  to  be  I  inch  lower  at  the  after  end 


than  at  the  forward  end,  in  order  to  drain  off  the  water. 
Strike  a  line  through  the  center  of  the  beams,  and  fasten 
the  deck  plank  to  the  beams.  The  deck  planks  are  to  be 
of  spruce  or  pine  >4  inch  thick,  and  whether  you  follow 
the  specifications  as  to  width  or  not  is  immaterial,  but  it 
is  not  advisable  to  use  very  wide  boards  on  account  of  the 


Fig.  13 — Transom 

tendency  to  shrink  and  swell,  and  the  greater  the  number 
of  seams,  the  less  the  shrinkage  and  swelling  will  be  per- 
ceptible. 

The  coaming  should  be  made  of  mahogany  or  some  hard 
wood.  Select  nice  straight-grained  stock;  it  is  to  be  a 
half-inch  in  thickness.  If  you  have  a  good  wide  board 
long  enough  to  work  from  a  point  aft  of  the  engine  hood, 
clear  around  the  forward  end  to  the  opposite  side,  it  would 
be  advisable  to  use  it,  otherwise  you  can  make  the  joint 
at  the  forward  end  and  secure  it  with  a  butt  block  on  the 
inside.  You  will  h^ve  to  use  your  spiling  batten  or  some 
thin  stock  to  get  the  correct  shape.  The  width  you  ca^ 
take  from  the  construction'  plan ;  steam  the  forward  end, 
and  bend  over  a  form  of  the  required  shape.  Fasten  well 
with  brass  screws  from  the  inside  to  the  shelf  and  coam- 
ing knees.  It  would  be  a  good  plan  to  leave  the  coaming 
a  trifle  higher  than  shown  on  the  plan  and  to  trim  this 
down  to  the  proper  height  after  it  is  fastened  in  position. 
A  surplus  of  about  %  inch  would  be  ample.  Where  the 
butts  occur  on  either  side  of  the  cockpit  you  need  not  use 
a  butt  block  on  the  inside  unless  you  prefer  same.  They 
are  rather  unsightly  at  the  best.  If  you  intend  to  carry 
an  oar  on  this  boat  you  could  put  a  butt  block  on  the  out- 
side of  the  coaming  arid  fasten  the  oar-lock  sockets  to 
same,  but  the  best  method  is  to  make  a  tight  butt  joint  and 
then  bore  a  hole  %  to  5-16-inch  diameter  down  through 
the  center  of  the  joint  and  drive  in  a  dowel.  The  after 
ends  of  the  coaming  where  they  set  on  the  deck  can  be  fas- 
tened from  the  under  side  or  from  the  upper  side  if  pre- 
ferred, and  the  heads  of  the  fastenings  covered  vvith  wood 
plugs.  ■  Round  slightly  the  upper  edge  and  shape  the  after 
ends  as  pet-  plans.  A  light  thread  of  cotton  should  be 
worked  in  around  between  the  coaming  and  the  edge  of 
the  deck. 

The  bulkheads  at  the  forward  and  after  end  of  the  cock- 
pit should  next  claim  your  attention.  Build  up  a  suitable 
frame  on  the  deck  and  around  the  inside  of  the  plank  and 
cover  with  tongued  and  grooved  mahogany  J^  inch  thick 
and  about  3  inches  wide.  It  is  preferable  to  use  bevel-edge 
staving,  to  that  with  a  bead,  as  it  is  so  much  easier  to  keep 


105 


106 


clean  and  to  scrape,  when  the  latter  becomes  necessary. 
Fasten  the  lower  ends  of  the  staving  to  the  frame  on  the 
deck,  and  to  the  upper  frame;  make  sure  that  you  keep  the 
line  of  the  staving  vertical  and  above  all  have  good 
joints,  as  such  a  bulkhead  materially  strengthens  and  stiff- 
ens the  boat  if  properly  fitted. 

Where  any  fittings,  such  as  auxiliary  shaft  for  starting 
engine,  controls,  steerer,  etc.,  are  cut  through  or  fastened 
to  the  bulkhead  it  would  be  well  to  reinforce  same  on 
the  inside  with  oak  blocks  '/i  inch  thick  well  fastened  to 
the  staving.  The  bulkhead  at  the  after  end  should  be 
staved  up  in  the  same  manner  as  the  forward  one,  and  as 
you  may  require  to  get  at  the  steering  apparatus  it  would 
be  well  to  cut  a  door  in  same,  the  lower  edge  to  be  not 
less  than  2  inches  above  the  deck;  if  it  were  flush  you 
would  find  that  considerable  of  the  rainwater,  and  such 
water  as  you  might  ship,  would  run  down  into  the  bilge 
instead  of  overboard  through  the  scuppers. 

These  scuppers  should  be  made  of  i-inch  inside  diameter 
lead-pipe ,  fairly  heavy  stock,  weighing  about  4  pounds  to 
the  foot  should  be  used;  set  them  in  the  after  corners  of 
the  cockpit  deck,  recessing  the  wood  so  that  they  can  be 
flanged  over  and  still  be  flush  or  below  the  level  of  the 
deck.  The  holes  in  the  underbody  where  the  scuppers  pass 
through  should  not  be  directly  below  those  in  the  deck, 
but  lead  aft  two  or  three  inches  and  the  lower  ends  should 
also  be  flanged  and  the  wood  recessed  to  receive  the  flange 
so  as  to  insure  a  good,  smooth  job.  Fasten  around  the 
flange  at  both  ends  with  fine  brass  screws  or  copper  tacks. 

The  ceiling  is  to  be  of  mahogany,  5-16  inch  thick,  2 
inches  wide,  and  should  be  made  of  tongued  and  grooved 
stock  with  the  edges  bevelled,  to  match  the  bulkhead  stav- 

rti 


/-Wsm  ■ 


insure  a  tight  joint,  or  you  can  take  a  piece  of  canvas 
about  5  to  6  inches  wide,  set  the  lower  edge  in  white  lead 
and  fasten  to  the  deck  with  copper  tacks,  then  fasten  the 
upper  edge  to  the  frames  and  apply,  a  coat  of  heavy  white 


( "Jlionj. 


■  Figure  18 — Balanced  Rudder 

ing.  Fasten  well  to  the  frames,  the  ends  to  butt  against 
the  staving  of  the  bulkheads.  The  lower  edge  where  it 
meets  the  deck  should  either  be  set  into  a  rabbeted  piece  of 
spruce  that  was  fastened  closely  to  tl  ^  deck  in  order  to 


Figure  19 — Skag  Rudder 

lead  paint  and  set  the  lower  piece  of  staving  on  the  edge 
of  the  canvas  and  fasten  at  every  frame. 

Frame  up  the  helmsman's  seat  with  spruce  and  cover  the 
forward  and  after  sides  with  staving  to  match  the  bulk- 
head. Cut  a  good-sized  limbur  through  the  staving  and 
frame  on  each  side  so  as  to  allow  any  water  that  may  come' 
in  forward  of  the  seat  to  run  aft,  and  out  through  the 
scuppers.  The  gasolene  tank  is  to  be  of  copper,'  and  is  to 
be  fitted  under  the  seat,  and  when  in  place  you  can  put  on 
the  top  of  the  seat.  It  is  advisable  to  put  this  on  in  such 
a  manner  that  it  can  easily  be  removed,  if  at  any  time  it 
is  necessary  to  take  out  the  tank.  Cut  in  flush  with  the 
top  of  seat  a  large  deck-plate  directly  over  the  filler  plate 
of  the  tank. 

The  seat  and  backboard  at  the  after  end  are  so  plainly 
shown  that  there  is  no  need  to  do  anything  more  than 
mention  that  they  are  to  be  fitted  and  fastened.  The  thick- 
ness is  given  in  the  specifications  and  the  other  particu- 
lars can  be  taken  from  the  plan. 

The  next  most  important  thing  is  the  hatches,  and 
frame  of  the  hood  covering  the  engine.  For  the  strong- 
back,  you  will  require  a  piece  of  spruce  2x8  inches  and 
SJ4  feet  long.  Shape  this  as  per  Fig.  21,  with  a  water- 
way on  either  side,  and  hollow  the  under  side  to  keep 
down  the  weight.  Fasten  this  at  either  end  with  a  small 
metal  knee,  so  that  if  you  want  to  take  it  out  at  any 
time  you  can  do  so  and  not  destroy  the  woodwork.  Make 
a  form  to  bend  the  frames  for  the  edges  of  the  hatches 
and  make  them  of  oak;  after  bending  let  them  set  prop- 
erly before  you  try  to  fit  them;  and  another  thing  that 
may  assist  you  would  be  to  bend  them  with  a  trifle  shorter 
turn  than  you  really  need.  You  can  easily  straighten 
them  a  little,  but  it  is  hard  to  get  them  to  bend  any  more 
once  they  are  set. 

Make  up  the  rest  of  the  frame  so  that  it  fits  easily  in- 
side of  the  coaming,  and  then  cut  out  the  beams,  which 
are  to  be  of  spruce.  Set  the  ends  into  the  frame  and 
fasten   securely.     When  you  have  finished  both   frames. 


107 


set  a  ledge  around  inside  of  the  coaming  for  them  to  rest 
on;  place  the  frames  in  position  and  ascertain  that  the 
upi>er  side  is  fair;  if  not,  plane  it  until  it  is  fair  and  true 
and  then  you  can  start  to  cover  the  frame  with  the  plank, 
which  is  to  be  of  mahogany  7-16  inch  thick. 

The  piece  that  fits  over  the  strong-back  is  to  be  6  inches 
wide,  and  the  widths  of  the  plank  on  the  hatches  can  be 
determined'  by  the  stock  you  have  on  hand,  but  don't  make 
them  too  wide.  Either  calk  the  seams  lightly  or  batten 
them  on  the  under  side.  Carefully  smooth  the  top  of 
the  hatches  and  trim  the  outer  edges  fair  with  the  coam- 
ing. The  edges  are  to  be  covered  with  a  strip  of  brass 
No.  14  gauge,  1  incTi  wide.  Cut  this  to  the  proper  shape 
to  'bend  around  the  edge  and  fasten  with  countersunk- 
head  brass  screws — the  edges  of  the  brass  should  be  care- 
fully rounded.  Fasten  the  hatches  with  brass  or  bronze 
hinges,  the  joints  to  be  directly  over  the  joint  of  the  ma- 
hogany centerplank  and'  edge  of  hatch.  Suitable  quad- 
rants, or  something  to  take  the  place  of  same,  should  be 


'^   hMIOGANY 


SeCT/ON  THffU  ENGINE  HATCH 


e  I    «  .3 

'■'III'- 


=3 


Scale. 
Figure  21 — Hatch  Over  the  Motor 


fastened  to  the  after  end  of  the  hatches  to  keep  them  open 
"when  desired. 

After  you  have  finished  with  the  interior  of  the  cock- 
pit and  coaming  you  can  finish  planing  and  smoothing 
the  decks;  set  the  bitt  in  the  after  deck,  and  you  can  turn 
your  attention  to  the  planing  and  smoothing  of  the  plank- 
ing. Finish  it  carefully,  scrape  and  sandpaper,  theri  fasten 
in  position  the  pieces  of  half-round  mahogany  molding, 
and  if  you  have  decided  to  have  a  gilt  stripe  cut  a  cove 
in  the  plank  at  proper  height,  and'  then  mark  the  water- 
line.  I  would  suggest  that  you  raise  the  line  so  that  when 
you  have  the  painted  line  it  will  show  about  i  to  i^ 
inches  above  the  actual  waterline. 


There  are  a  number  of  different  ways  to  mark  a  water- 
line,  and  some  of  you  may  know  a  simpler  method  than 
the  following,  but  this  will  give' the  desired  results.  Mark' 
on  the  stem  and  the  transom  the  height  of  the  waterline, 
take  tw'o  straight-edge  planks,  a  little  longer  than  the 
width  of  the  boat,  set  the  upper  edge  so  that  it  is  level 
with  the  point  on  the  stem  representing  the  waterline, 
fasten  this  piece  of  wood  and  make  sure  that  the  upper 
edge  is  level,  using  your  spirit-level  to  make  sure ;  repeat 
the  operation  with  the  other  piece  of  board  at  the  after 
end,  then  stretch  a  line  from  the  upper  edge  of  the  for- 
ward cross-piece  to  the  after  one,  draw  the  line  very  taut, 
take  your  spirit-level  and'  bring  it  up  to  the  line ;  see  that 
the  level  only  just  touches  the  line  and  then  where  the 
upper  edge  of  the  level  touches  the  hull  make  a  point; 
repeat  this  operation  at  intervals  all  around  the  hull,  then 
take  a  thin  batten,  something  about  34  x  2  inches,  and 
bend  it  to  the  point  you  have  made,  keeping  the  side  of 
the  batten,  vertical ;  fasten  at  intervals  with  fine  wire 
brads,  and  when  you  have  it  fastened,  take  a  scriber  or 
some  pointeQ  instrument  and  scratch  in  a  line  along  the 
edge  of  the  batten.  When  the  batten  is  removed  sight 
along  the  line  you  have  made,  and  it  should  be  straight. 
Of  course,  it  follows  the  shape  of  the  boat,  but  it  should 
be  level.  The  idea  in  scribing  or  scratching  in  this  line 
is  that  it  does  not  get  obliterated  with  painting,  etc.,  so 
rapidly  as  if  it  was  simply  drawn  on  with  a  pencil,  and  it 
is  easier  to  draw  to  a  painted  line  than  to  a  pencil  mark. 
There  are  still  a  number  of  things  for  you  to  do 
before  the  hull  is  completed.  The  strut  is  to  be 
made  and  fitted,  the  steerer  and  steering  ropes,  the 
rudder,  the  deck  fittings,  etc.,  to  say  nothing  ofi 
finishing  the  installation  of  the  engine;  but  I  do 
not  see  that  there  is  any  need  for  me  to  dwell  upon  these 
points  any  more  than  there  is  to  try  to  explain  how  to 
paint  the  boat. 

Unless"  you  have;  good  reasons  for.  doing  otherwise,  I 
would'  recommend  that  you  finish  the  boat  entirely  while 
she  is. on  the  stocks  and  if  you  have  got  to  take  her  any 
great  distance,  build  a  cradle  under  her.  This  you  can 
readily  do.  Then  block  up  the  cradle,  remove  the  stocks 
End  lower  the  cradle  down  to  the  floor  or  else  to  the 
height  of  the  team  if  she  has  to  be  carted  any  distance. 
When  purchasing  the  paint  or  varnish,  get  the  best;  it 
will  pay  in  the  end.  Don't  hesitate  to  spend  time  finishing 
the  boat  properly,  sandpapering  down  each  coat  before 
the  next  is  applied. 

Naturally  there  are  many  points  I  have  not  touched 
upon,  but  I  believe  that  all  the  main  points  have  been 
covered',  and  if  I  have  made  any  grave  errors  I  ti'ust  that 
you  will  overlook  them. 


Specifications  for  the   Construction  of  a 

25-Foot  Runabout 


BY   FREDERIC  S.  NOCK 


Material  and  Workmanship:  In  carrying  out  these  speci- 
fications, there  are  to  be  used  only  the  best  of  materials  and 
workmanship.  All  wciod  shall  be  sound  and  clear,  all  p.'eces 
to  be  cut  fair  with  the  grain  and  selected  to  have  the  grain 
follow   the   shape   as   closely  as   possible. 

Keel:  To  be  of  native  white  oak,  molded  ij4  inches, 
shaped  as  per  plans,  and  to  be  rabbeted  to  receive  the  gar- 
board.     The  upper  side  is  to  be  rounded  as  per  detail  plan. 

Stem  r  To  be  a  natural  crook  of  oak  or  hackmatack,  sided 
2}^  inches,  molded  as  per  plans.  To  be  connected  to  the 
keel  with  a  'lock  scarf  and  fastened  with  5/16-inch  diameter 


bolts    riveted    over    washers.      Heads    of    fastenings    to    be 
countersunk  and  covered  with  wood  plugs. 

Transom  :  To  be  of  white  pine  or  mahogany,  5^-inch 
thick,  connected  to  the  keel  with  an  oak  or  hackmatack 
knee,  sided  3  inches  and  molded  as  per  plans.  To  be  rab- 
beted to  receive  the  transom  plank,  and  to  be  fastened  with 
51  16-inch  diameter  bolts  riveted  over  washers,  heads  to  be 
countersunk  and  covered  with  wood  plugs.  Cheek  pieces  of 
oak  %-inch  thick,  1J/2  inches  wide  are  to  be  shaped  and 
fastened  to  the  transom  to  form  a  back  rabbet  for  the 
plank  which   is  to  be  well   fastened   with  brass  screws. 


108 


Frames:  To-be  of  young  white  oak,  -j^  x  5^  inch,  spaced 
-  6  inches  center  to  center.  To  be  steam  bent  to  shape  and 
all  frames  aft  of  Station  No.  6  to  extend  from  sheer  to 
sheer  in  one  piece  and  to  have  two  fastenings  in  keel. 
Frames  forward  of  Station  No.  6  that  do  not  cross  the  keel 
are  to  have  the  heels  well  fastened  to  the  keel. 

Keelsons:  To  be  of  spruce  sided  i  inch,  molded  as  per 
plans.  To  be  spaced  8j4  inches  from  the  center  to  the 
inside.  They  are  to  be  cut  over  all  frames,  carefully  fitted 
and  well  fastened. 

Deck  Clamp:  To  be  of  spruce,  Hx3  inches  amidships, 
tapered  at  ends  to  J^  x  2  inches.  To  be  well  fastened  to  the 
frames,  and  at  each  alternate  frame  to  have  one  fastening 
through   frame  and   sheerstrake. 

Bilge  Clamps  :  To  be  of  spruce,  %  x3  inches  amidship, 
tapered  at  ends  to  %x.2  inches.  To  be  well  fastened  to  the 
frames. 

Sheerstrake:  To  be  of  mahogany,  7/16-inch  thick,  and 
about  4  inches  wide  amidship,  tapered  at  ends.  To  be  well 
fastened  to  the  frames  with  copper  nails  riveted  over  burrs. 
The  fastenings  through  the  upper  edge  on  each  third  frame 
are  to  go  through  sheer  strake,  frame  and  shelf  for  the 
length  o{  the  shelf. 

Planking  :  To  be  of  clear  cedar  or  white  pine  to  finish 
7/16-inch  thick,  to  •t)e  in  long  lengths,  and  where  butts  occur, 
same  are  to  be  reinforced  with  oak  backing.  Fastenings  to  be 
copper  nails  riveted  over  burrs.  Heads  countersunk  and 
covered  with  wood  plugs.  Inside  of  plank  to  be  properly 
coped  to  fit  the  frames,  outside  to  be  planed  iair  and  true 
and  finished  smooth.  Seams  to  be  calked  with  yacht  cotton, 
payed  with  white  lead  and  finished  flush  with  white-lead 
putty. 

Shelf:  To  be  of  spruce,  Ys  x25^  inches,  to  extend  the  full 
length  of  the  cockpit  and  hatch  coaming  as  per  plans.  To 
be  well  fastened  to  the  clamp,  and  at  each  third  frame  ':o 
have  one  fastening  through   frame  and  sheerstrake. 

Deck  Beams  :  To  be  of  spruce,  sided  %  inches,  molded 
lJ4  inches,  sawed  to  the  required  camber  and  spaced  as 
shown  on  plans.     Ends  to  be  well  fastened  to  the  clamp. 

Coaming  Knees:  To  be  of  spruce,  iVi  inches  thick, 
shaped  as  per  plans  and  well  fastened  to  the  shelf  and  beams. 

Planksheer:  To  be  of  mahogany,  V^'-inch  thick,  4  inches 
wide  in  the  wake  of  the  coaming  and  tapered  at  ends.  To 
be  well  fastened  to  the  deck  beams,  etc.,  with  brass  screws, 
heads  to  be  countersunk  and  covered  with  wood  plugs. 

Deck  Plank  :  To  be  of  mahogany,  J^-inch  thick,  laid  in 
strips  3  inches  wide  and  well  fastened  to  the  beams  with 
brass  screws,  heads  to  be  countersunk  and  covered  with  wood 
plugs.  All  seams  to  be  calked  with  yacht  cotton  and  filled 
with  elastic  seam  cement  or  white-lead  putty,  as  desired. 

Coaming  •  To  be  of  mahogany,  Yz-mch  thick,  steam  bent 
to  shape  at  forward  end,  and  to  be  well  fastened  to  the  shelf 
and  coaming  knees. 

Cockpit  Deck  Beams:  To  be  of  spruce,  sided  %  inches, 
molded  iJ4  inches,  spaced  12  inches.  Ends  of  beams  to  be 
well  fastened  to  the  frames  and  clamp  and  supported  where 
necessary  on  spruce  stanchions  ?ixiJ4  inches,  set  over  the 
center  of  keel. 

Cockpit  Deck  Plank  :  To  be  of  clear  spruce  or  white 
pine  5^-inch  thick,  laid  in  narrow  strip.s,  to  be  fastened  with 
galvanized  nails  or  brass  screws.  To  be  either  tongued  and 
grooved  or  calked  seams  as  desired.  Deck  to  be  made  water- 
tight and  to  drain  aft  through  lead  scuppers  i-inch  inside 
diameter. 

Bulkheads:  The  bulkhead  at  the  after  end  of  the  engine 
compartment  is  to  be  framed  up  and  covered  with  mahogany 
strips  l^-inch  >  thick,  3-inch  face  tongued  and  grooved. 
Wherever  the  fittings  pass  through  the  bulkhead,  same  is  to 
be  reinforced  with  blocks  on  the  inside.  The  bulkhead  at 
the  forward  end  of  the  afterdeck  is  to  be  framed  up  and 
covered  with  }i  x3-inch  mahogany  the  same  as  the  forward 
bulkhead,  and  a  suitable  trap  is  to  be  cut  in  same  to  admit 
of  access  to  the  steering  gear,  etc. 

Ceiling:  The  inside  of  the  frames  above  the  cockpit  floor 
are  to  be  covered  with  mahogany  staving,  S/i6-inch  thick, 
2-inch  face,  ceiling  to  extend  from  the  upperside  of  the  deck 
to  the  underside  of  the  clamp  and  to  be  well  fastened  to  the 
frames  with  small  finishing  nails. 

Stern  Seat  and  Lazy  Back  :  To  be  of  mahogany  J^-inch 
thick,  shaped  and  fitted  "as  per  plans. 

Helmsman's  Seat:  To  be  frarned  up  as  per  plans  and  staved 
on  the  forward  and  afterside  with  mahogany  ^-inch  thick, 
3-inch  face.    A  copper  gasolene  tank  12  inches  deep,  15  inches 


wide  and  42  inches  in  length  fitted  with  suitable  swash  par- 
titions, is  to  be  carefully  fitted  under  tTie  seat.  Bottom  of 
tank  is  to  be  iyi  inches  above  the  cockpit  floor,  and  suitable 
limburs  are  to  be  cut  in  the  frame  and  staving  to  admit  of 
allowing  the  water  to  run  aft  under  the  tank.  The  top  of 
seat  is  to  be  of  mahogany,  ^-inch  thick,  and  fastened  in 
position  with  brass  screws.  A  suitable  deck-plate  is  to  be 
let  in  flush  with  the  top  of  the  seat  over  the  filler  of  tank. 

Bitt  :  To  be  of  oak  or  locust,  3x3  inches,  to  be  set 
through  deck  and  blocking  and  well  fastened  on  the  under- 
side by  an  oak  or  locust  wedge. 

Engine  Bed  :  To  be  arranged  to  meet  the  requirements 
of  the  engine.  The  fore  and  kft  bearers  to  be  of  oak,  sided 
2  inches,  and  to  extend  well  beyond  the  foundation  of  en- 
gine fore  and  aft.  They  are  to  be  well  fastened  and  bolted 
through  keelsons.  Suitable  athwartship  bearers  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  the  engine  are  to  be  provided,  one  between 
the  flywheel  and  base  of  engine,  the  other  one  well  aft,  and 
if  there  is  room'  to  admit  of  using  same,  there  is  to  be  one 
bolt  through  keelsons,  fore  and  aft,  and  athwartship  bearers 
at  either  end,  bolts  to  have  nut  and  washers  on  the  out- 
side of  keelsons. 

Fenders  or  Rubstreak  :  To  be  of  mahogany  i-inch,  half 
round,    well    fastened   to   the   sheerstrakes,   etc. 

Hatches,  Etc.,  Over  Engine  Space  :  A  strongback  of 
spruce  with  suitable  waterways  on  either  side  and  worked  out 
on  the  underside  as  per  plans  to  be  made  and  well  fastened 
to  the  coaming  and  bulkhead.  The  hatch  frame  is  to  be 
made  of  oak,  curved  part  steam  bent  to  shape  and  carefully 
fitted.  Finished  size  of  section  of  frame  ^xiJ4  inches  deep. 
The  beams  are  to  be  of  spruce  sided  %  inches,  molded  I 
inch,  sawed  to  crown.  Ends  of  beams  to  be  cut  into  the 
frame  and  well  fastened.  Hatches  and  strongback  to  be 
covered  7-16  inch  mahogany,  in  narrow  strips,  seams  to  be 
battened  on  the  underside  or  calked  as  desired.  Fastenings 
to  be  brass  screws,  heads  countersunk  and  covered  with 
wood  plugs.  The  edges  of  the  hatch  are  to  be  covered  with 
a  brass  strip,  gauge  No.  14  stock,  i  inch  in  width,  fastened 
in  position  with  countersunk  head  brass  screws.  Three  hinges 
of_  bronze,  18  inches  in  length,  6  inches  center  to  center  of 
joints  are  to  be  used  for  the  hatches,  and  there  is  to  be  a 
bronze  quadrant  or  slide  for  either  hatch  that  will  admit 
of  them  being  held  open. 

Fittings  :  To  comprise : — One  shaft  tube  of  bronze  con- 
structed as  per  detail  plans  with  stuffing-box  and  locknut, 
flange  to  be  carefully  fitted  to  the  keel  and  well  fastened 
with  brass  screws.  Bronze  rudder,  with  cast  manganese 
bronze  stock,  and  hard  rolled  Tobin  bronze  plate  3-16  inch 
thick,  brass  rudder -port  with  stuffing-box  and  locknut,  gal- 
vanized iron  quadrant  or  sliding  tiller,  galvanized  steel  or 
Phosphor  bronze  tiller  rope  14  i"eh  diameter,  galvanized 
iron  or  bronze  sheave  leads  of  not  less  than  3  inches  diam- 
eter for  tiller  rope.  One  adjustable  auto  steerer  with 
wood  rim  wheel  12  inches  diameter,  one  12-inch  bronze 
cleat, _  one  4-inch  cowl  ventilator,  two  6-inch  brass  com- 
bination chocks,  twfo  5-inch  brass  quarter  chocks,  two 
bronze  flush  flagpole  sockets,  one  24-ounce  copper  tank  of 
about  30  gallons'  capacity  with  suitable  swash  partitions, 
bronze  filler,  vent  plate  and  supply  connection.  One  6-inch 
diameter  deck  plate  over  stuffing-box,  one  suitable  deck 
plate  over  tank  filler,  three  bronze  hinges  for  hatches,  two 
quadrants  or  slides  for  hatches,  brass  stem  band,  two  flag- 
poles, one  yacht  ensign,  one  private  sig^nal  or  yacht  club 
pennant,  one  pair  of  side  lights,  and  one  bow  light,  either 
galvanized  iron  or  brass  as  desired.  One  25-pound  fold- 
ing anchor,  100  feet  9-16-inch  diameter  Manila  warp,  one 
6-inch  diameter  ship's  bell,  two  Manila  fast  lines  30  feet 
in  length,  two  canvas  fenders  4  inches  diameter,  16  inches 
long,  and  one  bronze  head  boat  hook  with  7-foot  handle. 

Painting,  Finishing,  Etc.:  The  entire  interior  of  the 
hull  to  receive  one  coat  of  priming  paint  before  being  ceiled. 
The  topsides  to  be  primed  and  to  receive  three  coats  of 
pure  white  lead  paint,  each  coat  to  be  well  rubbed  down 
before  the  second  coat  is  applied.  The  underbody  to  be 
primed  and  treated  to  two  coats  of  bronze  or  anti-fouling 
paint  rubbed  down  smooth.  All  exterior  bright  work  to  be 
well  filled  and  finished  with  three  coats  of  best  spar  com- 
position, each  coat  to  be  well  rubbed  down  before  the  next 
coat  is  applied.  The  interior  of  the  engine  space  to  re- 
ceive two  coats  of  white  lead  paint,  light  slate  color.  The 
cockpit  deck  to  be  treated  to  two  coats  of  deck  paint  of 
an  approved  shade.  Cove  and  name  to  be  sized  and  gilded 
with  gold  leaf. 


109 


110 


How  to  Build  a  "Dead-Rise"  Boat 


By  A.  M.  KEYS 


IN  response  to  many  recent  inquiries  regarding  the  con- 
struction of  a  dead-rise  boat  similar  to  the  one  described 
in  The  Motor  Boat  of  July  25th,  and  in  the  belief  that 
there  are  many  who  would  like  to  have  such  a  craft  and 
who  have  sufficient  mechanical  ability  to  build  it,  I  have 
endeavored  in  this  article  to  show  a  simple  and  practical 
method  of  construction.  The  boat  shown  in  the  drawings 
is  a  30-footer,  but  can  be  built  with  equal  ease  in  any  size 
desired. 

First,  decide  on  the  size  of  boat  you  desire;  say,  for 
instance,  one  of  24  feet  over  all.  Then  procure  a  block  of 
soft  pine  which  will  measure  lyi  inches  for  every  foot  of 
length  of  the  complete  boat,  or  36  inches  long  in  this  case, 
and  4^/2  inches  wide  by  3  inches  in  depth.  This  may  be 
either  a  solid  block  or  three  i-inch  boards  tacked  one  to 
the  other.  The  latter  method  is  best,  since  the  edges  of 
the  boards  will  offer  a  straight-edge  to  cut  by  and  ^o 
measure  from,  the  advantage  of  which  will  be  made  clear. 
After  making  sure  that  your  block  is  perfectly  square 
and  smoothed  on  all  four  surfaces,  if  it  is  a  solid  block 
rule  it  lengthwise  into  i-inch  divisions.  Also  divide  it 
into  six  equal  parts  by  ruling  it  all  the  way  round  every 
six  inches.  Then,  on  one  side,  draw  in  the  sheer-plan,  or 
side-efevation  as  shown  in  Figure  i.  On  the  side  which 
is  to  be  your  deck,  draw  your  half-breadth  plan.  (Figure 
2.)  Make  sure,  of  course,  that  the  inside  of  your  lialf- 
breadth  plan  is  the  opposite  side  from  the  one  on  which 
you  have  drawn  your  sheer  plan.  In  order  to  get  fair, 
sweeping  curves  make  a  straight-edge  of  soft,  dear  pine, 
^-inch  square,  and  long^  enough  to  reach  from  end  to 
end  of  your  block.  Dot  off  the  heights  of  your  gunwale  at 
all  the  stations  and  drive  pins  in  at  these  points.  Push  your 
straight-edge  up  against  the  pins,  and  if  the  curve  is  fair, 
rule  it  in.  If  not,  move  any  pin  up  or  down  until  the  line 
makes  a  fair  curve.  This  is  of  greater  importance  than 
the  exact  measurements.  Decide  upon  the  depth  of  your 
side  in  the  same  way,  making  it  about  I  inch  high  for 
every  12  inches  in  length,  and  the  ends  slightly  less,  as 
in  the  drawings. 

Now,  having  gotten  these  lines  to  where  they  please  you; 
you  are  ready  to  cut.  First,  cut  away  the  block  to  the 
line  of  your  keel ;  then  bevel  off  from  that  to  the  bottom 
of  your  sides,  and  you  will  find  that  these  angles  will  take 
care  of  themselves  if  your  rule  will  lie  fair  from  bottom 
to  keel  at  any  point.  Next,  cut  your  shear,  or  top  of  side. 
Then,  having  replaced  any  lines  you  have  cut  away,  cut 
your  out-board  profile,  making  your  angles  more  acute  at 
the  ends  than  in  the  middle,  and  again  replace  the  lines. 
The  block  has  now  only  one  straight  edge,  which  will  be 
the  center  line  of  your  boat,  fore  and  aft.  Now,  lay  it 
down  on  a  piece  of  heavy  paper  or  on  a  smooth  board  of 
the  original  size  of  the  block  and  draw  its  profile  all 
around,  also  drawing  in  the  stations.  You  will  need  this 
to  get  the  heights  at  which  your  moulds  are  to  be  set  from 
the  floor,  its  .we  are  going  to  build  this  boat  up-side-down, 
in  which  position  you  can  get  at  her  best  and  use  your 
muscles  to  .advantage. 

Saw  the  block  into  6-inch  sections,  where  you  have 
drawn  in  your  stations.  If  the  cuts  are  carefully  made, 
right  on  the  line  all  round,  you  will  find  each  cut  gives 
you  the  shape  of  half  your  mould  for  that  station.  As 
we  have  made  ij/  inches  to  the  foot,  every  %  inch  of  your 
block  will  equal  i  inch  of  your  completed  mould.  Take 
off  these  lines  on  a  piece  of  heavy  building  paper,  measur- 
ing with  great  care,  as  a  small  error  in  taking  off  from 
the  block  will   be  just  eight  times  as  great  in  the  com- 


pleted boat.  Then  cut  these  out  and  make  your  moulds. 
Any  rough  stuff  will  suffice  for  them,  as  they  will  be 
knocked  out  and  thrown  away  in  due  time.  After  they 
are  complete,  notch  them  out  at  gunwale  and  corners,  l>^ 
inches  by  4  inches,  to  take  the  shelf  and  chine,  as  shown 
by  dotted  lines  in  Figure  3.  This  figure  represents  the 
moulds  set  up,  with  keel,  stem  and  stern  in  place,  and 
ready  for  chine  and  shelf. 

We  are  now  ready  to  build  the  boat,  and  to  that  end 
we  will  follow  the  advice  of  the  King  of  Wonderland: 
"Begin  at  the  beginning,  go  to  the  end  and  then  stop." 
This  is  how :  Strike  a  line  on  the  floor  of  your  shop  with 
a  chalked  line,  slightly  longer  than  your  boat  is  to  be,  and 
right  over  which  the  keel  is  to  be  laid.  Mark  this  in 
deeply  with  pencil  and  lay  out  at  right-angles  the  places 
the  moulds  will  occupy.  On  these  cross  lines,  nail  down 
pieces  of  3x4  inch  wood.  Rough  stuff  will  do,  but  put 
them  down  strongly.  Then  to  these  set  up  the  moulds  on 
legs  as  showft  in  Figure  3.  Get  the  heights  from  your 
board  as  shown  in  Figure  i,  and  brace  them  strongly,  as 
they  must  carry  the  entire  weight  of  the  boat.  Be  sure 
they  are  plumb,  up  and  down,  as  w€ll  as  at  exact  right- 
angles  with  the  keel.  It  is  well  to  nail  a  strip  along  each 
side  of  the  bottom,  from  end  to  end,  to  make  sure  they  do 
not  slip  during  construction.  Then  set  up  an  upright  in 
front  of  where  your  stem  will  come  and  also  one  aft  of 
your  stern,  right  in  the  centre. 

For  your  keel  you  will  need  a  piece  of  oak  nearly  as 
long  as  your  over  all  length,  and  at  least  2x6  inches. 
Taper  this  off  to  2  by  3  inches  for  about  6  feet  back;  a 
straight  cut  will  do.  For  the  stern,  you  will  require 
enough  i-inch  oak  (or  1J/2  inch  if  you  are  going  to  build 
a  larger  boat  than  24  feet  long)  to  make  it.  Don't  use 
ploughed  or  grooved  stuff,  but  make  good,  smooth  seams, 
and  screw  backing  pieces  on  it  (not  less  than  three). 
Don't  have  a  seam  run  out  right  at  your  corners.  For 
the  stem  a  3-inch  oak  plank  is  required.  Get  the  length 
from  your  model,  and  the  wider  your  plank  is,  the  greater 
curve  can  be  given  to  the  stem.  This  curve  is  largely  a 
matter  of  taste,  but  as  this  boat  is  rather  angular  anyway, 
a  well  curved  stem  and  high  crowned  deck  will  add  much 
to  her  appearance.  In  getting  out  your  keel,  if  you  have 
to  splice  to  get  the  length,  let  the  splice  come  as  Tar  for- 
ward as  possible,  and  back  it  up  with  a  piece  of  the  same 
stuff,  not  less  than  four  feet  long  and  bolted  through  and 
through.  Add  stay  pieces  up  and  down  every  three  feet 
to  stiffen  the  sides,  and  back  the  joints  with  oak  blocks 
riveted  through ;  the  stay  pieces  should  be  jogged  over 
chine  and  shelf.  Taper  off  the  face  -of  your  stem  and  cut 
the  rabbet  for  the  plank  ends  before  setting  it  up.  The 
keel,  for  about  18  inches  aft  of  the  stem,  will  also  need 
rabbeting.  Let  it  run  off  gradually  at  about  that  point. 
The  exact  angle  of  the  rabbet  doesn't  matter,  as  you  can 
doctor  it  later,  when  you  come  to  plank. 

Now  set  up  the  stem  and  brace  it  from  the  upright 
already  mentioned,  and  from  which  you  also  measure  the 
rake  of  the  stem.  "Line  it  up  carefully  with  the  after 
upright.  Do  this  carefullv.  as  it  will  ruin  the  looks  of 
the  job  if  it  isn't  plumb.  Then  saw  off  the  bottoms  of  your 
moulds  to  the  width  of  your  keel  (6  inches)  and  brace 
the  keel  from  above  firmly  down  on  your  moulds,  and 
also  toe  in  a  screw  from  underneath  on  each  mould  into 
the  keel.  Then  get  out  your  stem-knee  (see  Figure  3) 
and  bolt  or  screw  it  to  both  keel  and  stem.  Set  up  your 
stern  in  the  same  manner,  getting  the  rake  from  the  after 
upright  and  sawing  off  your  keel  so  that  the  face  of  the 


111 


stern  is  outside  of  it.  YoU  can  make  a  pattern  for  your 
stern  knee  after  this  is  done,  of  any  light  stuff,  and  make 
the  knee  of  3-inch  oak.  Bolt  it  through  the  keel  and 
screw  through  the  stern. 

You  can  now  get  out  your  sides,  of  i-inoh  pine,  or,  if 
you  can  get  it,  use  California  red-wood,  which  is  free  from 
knots  and  comes,  in  long  lengths.  If  you  have  made  your 
sides  flare  about  as  in  Figure  4,  you  will  find  that  your 
sides  will  fit  the  moulds  so  neatly  as  to  require  little  cut- 
ting at  the  top,  though  they  will  need  some  at  the  bottom 
as  that  is  put  up.  However,  you  will  find  it  easy  to  get 
at  and  you  can  do  it  quite  as  well  after  it  is  on  as  before. 
For  the  "bottom,  use  ipi  inch  stuff,  beveling  the  first  plank 
off  (inside)  to  an  inch  thickness  where  it  takes  the 
rabbet.  Your  first  few  planks  will  run  nearly  up  and 
down,  but  by  making  them  a  little  narrower  at  the  bottom 
than  at  the  sides,  you  can  soon  get^  them  raking  aft. 
Bevel  off  keel  and  chine  till  the  plank  lies  fair  and 
and  fasten  with  galvanized  nails  or  screws.  After  the 
bottom  is  all  planked,  plane  off  the  ridge  which 
the  plank  ends  have  forrtjed  forward,  and  in  fact,  all 
along,  if  you  have  beveled  your  keel  so  much  that  the 
plank  ends  have  met.  You  will  find,  by  the  time  you  get 
this  far,  that  you  will  not  need  to  cut  so  much  bevel  unless 
you  want  to.  Your  skeg  and  your  shaft-log  will  set 
better  if  you  have, left  your  keel  bare  for  3  inches  in  the 
centre.  Make  a  pattern  for  the  skeg  of  light  stuff  and 
fit  it  carefully,  getting  the  rough  ineasurement  from  your 
sheer  plan.  Your  shaft-log  will  have  to  be  a  piece  of 
3-inch  oak,  and  after  you  have  gotten  it  out  and  drawn  a 
line  on,  it  at  the  angle  of  your  shaft,  you  will  do  well  to 
take  it  to  a  saw-mill,  if  not  too  inconvenient.  To  bore 
a  hole  three  feet  long,  straight  through  a  3-inch  plank 
is  no  easy  job.  If,  however,  you  must  do  it  yourself,  get 
what  is  known  as  a  barefoot  auger,  as  pone  other  will 
run  as  straight  for  that  distance,  and  fasten  with  lag 
screws  through  keel. 

After  you  have  your  skeg  in  place,  run  your  false  keel, 
Ij^x2  inches,  laid  flat,  clear  to  the  stem,  which  should 
have  been  left  long  enough  for  it  to  butt  against.  ■  After 
this,  a  half-round  strap  or  bang-iron  should  cover  the  stem 
and  extend  four  or  five  feet  back  on  the  keel.  Your  rudder 
and  propeller  guard  can  best  be  procured  from  a  dealer 
in  marine  hardware  and  should  be  of  galvanized  iron,  as, 
in  fact,  should  be  every  nail  and  screw  in  the  boat. 


We  are  now  ready  to  saw  ofi^the  legs  of  the  mould  and 
to  turn'  her  over  with  the  moulds  still  in  place.  Build  a 
strong  locrker  across  the  middle,  at  about  the  height  yoji 
intend  your  seat  to  come.  This  will  not  only  provide  a 
roomy  and  useful  locker,  but  also  will  greatly  stiffen  your 
boat.  The  forward  ends  of  both  your  chine  pieces  and 
shelf  should  be  fastened  together  with  triangular  blocks 
of  oak  or  breast-hooks  of  natural  growth  and  your  stem 
secured  to  both.  Fasten  them  aft  to  the  stern  with  oak 
cleats  in  the  same  manner.  This,  however,  is  best  done 
before  you  commence  to  plank.  Fit  your  deck  beams 
(1x3  inches  will  be  strong  enough)  one  inch  below  your 
sides  and  spring  in  a  3-inch  plank-sheer  all  along  fore 
and  aft. 

The  moulds  can  now  be  taken  out  and  a  wide  king-plank 
of  oak  fitted  down  the  centre  of  your  forward  deck,  and 
the  rest  planked  in  with  pine.  Thus  far,  nothing  in  the 
boat  has  required  steaming,  and  if  you  have  no  steam-box 
you  cannot  bend  your  combing.  But  you  can  fit  one  quite 
as  good,  if  not  so  shapely,  by  cutting  your  forward  deck 
in  a  V  shape  and  fitting  your  combing  board  to  it,  jogging 
it  out  to  go  over  your  plank-sheer  and  springing  your 
combing  cold  on  the  sides  of  plank-sheer  to  butt  up  against 
the  forward  V.  This  calls  for  a  nice  fitting  in  the  centre, 
but  it  can  be  done,and  if  finished  with  a  breasthook  inside 
it  will  look  right  and  be  right. 

A  word  about  caulking.  These  boats  are  generally  made 
without  any,  and  if  your  joints  are  carefully  made  you 
will  not  need  any.  Don't  be  alarmed,  even  if  you  can  see 
the  daylight  through  her  before  she  is  launched.  Fill 
your  seams  with  a  putty  of  white  lead,  to  which  you  have 
added  whiting,  worked  up  to  the  proper  stiffness  with  a 
putty-knife.  The  boat  will  swell  up  tight,  all  right.  If 
you  do  need  caulking,  however,  hire  a  professional  to  do 
it,  as  proper  caulking  is  a  trade  by  itself,  and  many  a 
good  boat  has  been  ruined  by  too  much  caulking. 

Fore  and,  aft  bearers  8  to  10  feet  long  should  be  laid  for 
the  engine.  Oak  pieces  about  2x3  inches  will  be  suf- 
ficiently strong.  Over  these  your  bed-pieces  should  be 
jogged.  You  will  have  to  be  governed  by  the  height  of 
your  fly-wheel  for  these,  but  if  you  have  managed  to  get 
this  far  safely,  you  can  be  trusted  to  proceed  unaided. 

If  your  work  has  been  done  carefully,  you  will  find 
that  you  have  a  strong,  able  boat  that  can  go  out  in  any 
reasonable  weather  and  which  can  hold  her  own  with  any 
boat  of  her  size  and  power. 


112 


How  to  Build  A  Stern  Wheeler 


BY  C.  G.  DAVIS 


1 i 

■ 

A 

^ 

THERE  are  hundreds  of  places  on  the  shallow  lakes 
and   rivers  throughout   this  country   where   the   sea- 
going motorboat  would  be  hard  aground  most  of  the 
time,  and  where  only  such  boats  can  be  used  as  are  de- 
signed to  navigate  the  shallow  places. 

When  Eastern  designers  turn  out  a  Florida  cruiser  they 
consider  that  they  have  designed  a  shallow  draft  boat; 
but  while  they  consider  36  inches  shallow,  the  places  we 
have  in  mind  would  float  only  12  inches  and  in  some 
spots  not  even  that  much,  places  where  a  man  can  re- 
move his  footgear,  roll  up  his  trousers  and  walk  ashore  at 
almost  any  point. 

The  enjoyable  sensations  that  make  a  boat  ride  so  at- 
tractive to  the  people  along  the  seacoast,  where  motor- 
bbating  is  carried  on  on  a  large  scale,  is  all  the  more  of 
a  novelty  and  all  the  more  enjoyed  by  those  who  have 
never  or  seldom  been  on  the  water  on  anything  other 
than  a  log  raft.  Think  what  a  novelty  such  a  craft  would 
be  to  a  community  whose  rules  of  the  road  could  be 
summed  up  in  two  words,  "nigh"  and  "off,"  or  "gee"  and 
"haw."  I  can  just  imagine  such  a  crowd  with  a  man  at 
the  wheel  chewing  the  end  of  a  dry  straw,  shouting  as 
he  meets  another  boat,  "Gee  there  1  gee  !"..^Why  should 
such  a  man  adopt  an  unknown  vocabulary  and  say^star- 
board  or  port?  The  Government  inspector  would  never 
,come  around  in  such  localities  to  see  if  the  boat  had  her 
full  equipment  of  side  lights,  bow  and  stern  lights,  fog 
horn,  bell  and  life  preservers)  Who  would  want  a  life 
preserver  when  the  water  is  onlv  knee  deep  to  a  child? 
And  the  moo  of  an  old  cow  in  a  lot  would  be  as  good  a 
lighthouse  fog  horn  as  would  be  needed  if  the  cow  was 
only  tied  so  she'd  stay  in  one  place. 

There  are  many  disadvantages  that  the  deep  water 
sailor  has  to  contend  with  that  would  be  unknown  on  the 
waters  where  this  stern  wheeler  could  navigate,  and  no 
doubt  other  novel  conditions  would  crop  up — a  cow  might 
be  coolinc  herself  in  the  brook  and  in  that  case  a  blast 
of  the  whistle  might  be  of  use  to  scare  her  out  of  the 
way.  Now  that  small  gasolene  motors  have  been  perfected 
and  have  come  into  such  use  on  the  farm',  the  man  who 
runs  that  motor  and  understands  the  operation  of  it  could 
also  run  the  one  in  the  boat,  and  for  that  matter  the 
same  motor  could  turn  the  churn,  saw  the  wood  and 
be  put  in  the.  boat  to  drive  it  as  needed.  We  deep-sea 
dogs  always  speak  of  a  boat  as  '^'le  or  hei,  but  we're  not 
going  to  impregnate  the  fresh,  sweet,  drinkable  water  with 
salty  terms,  so  shall  call  her  "it." 

The  boat  we  have  selected  as  being  most  suitable  for 
such  work  is  one  where  the  hull  of  the  boat  is  25  feet 
long  by  7  feet  wide,  and  only  sinks  7  inches  deep  in  the 
water.  Including  the  sterirwheel  the  total  length  amounts 
to  29  feet  6-  inches. 


Any  amateur  who  has  never  seen  a  boat  would  be  able 
to  construct  ai  boat  this  size.  Every  difficult  feature  in 
boatbuilding  has  been  purposely  done  away  with,  and 
any  one  who  can  build  a  box  can  build  it.  Two  16-inch 
planks,  25  feet  6  inches  long,  i  inch  thick,  will  make 
the  bottom  part  of  the  two  sides,  and  two  more  the 
same  length,  18  inches  deep,  will  make  the  top  part. 

First  of  all  get  out  an  oak 'stem-piece,  2  feet  yi-inch 
long,  beveled  off  like  a  wedge,  as  shown  in  the  detail  plan 
of  it  on  the  drawing;  then  make  the  tfansom,  as  the  after 
end  of  the  box  is  called,  out  of  2-inch  oak.  The  shape 
of  this  transom  is  also  drawn  out,  5  feet  8  inches  long  by 
2  feet  I  inch  wide.  Nail  the  lower  plank  of  the  sides 
to  the  stem  so  that  they  make  a  large  Y-shape. 

The  greatest  difficulty  in  building  such  skiffs  is  to  get 
both  sides  alike  and  not  to  have  her  lopsided,  one  side 
flattened  and  the  other  bulged  out  more. 

To  guard  against  this,  build  her  on  the  wooden  floor  of 
a  barn  or  shed,  so  that  you  can  stretch  a  chalk  line  and 
so  get  a  true  center  line  to  work  by.  Square  across  -from 
this  line,  where  the  transom  is  to  go,  and  measure  out  the 


Sendingjhe  ^def^nks    ~  -  -  , 
arouna  braces  nailed  fo 
/*e  f/oor-  It  pays  fo  /aytha 
par/  tY/fie  uor/iouf  aarc/My 


various  widths  as  given  at  5-foot  intervals  and  put  up- 
rights, braced  strongly,  so  that  when  you  bend  the  side 
planks  around  them  they  will  not  collapse.  The  measure- 
ments for  cutting  the  shape  on  the  bottom  of  the  lower 
side  planks  is  shown  on  the  next  page. 

When  the  two  side  planks  are  nailed  to  the  stem,  brace 
the  latter  securely  to  the  floor  so  the  boat  is  bottom  up, 
and  bend  the  two  sides  in  together  around  the  upright 
braces  until  they  touch  the  ends  of  the  transom,  which 
you  should  take  particular  pains  to  see  is  exactly  square 
across  to  the  center  line. 


113 


114 


The  sides  will  not  fii  flat ;  they  wUl  only  touch  on  one 
edge  of  the  transom  ends,  so  cut  them  to  the  bevel  that 
will  make  a  perfect  fit  before  you  nail  them  fast  and  al- 
ways remember  in  boat  work  to  make  the  seams  so  that  the 
outer  edges  are  open  a  trifle  more  than  the  inner  edges. 
If  it  were  a  box  you  would  try  to  make  the  outer  edges 
invisible,  but  in  boat  work  this  is  reversed  for  the  reason 


7h^  lopsided  boat  is  cjh^t  mosf  umateurs  produce  in 
fheir  Haste  to  ^et  ttie  boat  done .  You  mt£?M.  belter  t<3l<e  a  ttffe 
morv  time  and  trouble  and  see  ttiaf  allis  sifaareand  trc/e. 

that  putty  has  to  be  put  in,  so  that  as  the  wood  swells 
it  will  squeeze  up  and  be  watertight.  Some  seams  will 
require  cotton  being  tucked  in  before  the  putty  is  applied, 
where  the  seams  are  open  a  little,  and  so  long  as  the 
seams  are  slightly  wedge-shaped,  even  if  the  two  edges  are 
apart  on  the  inside,  the  cotton  will  be  jammed  in  and  get 
tighter  and  tighter  the  more  it  is  pushed  from  tl  outside, 
while,  if  the  seam  be  the  other  way,  the  pressure  pushes  the 
cotton  through  and  a  leaky  boat  is  the  result. 

When  these  side  planks  are  fastened  at  each  end  and 
while  the  sides  are  held  irLtrue  shape,  nail  a  strip  of  oak, 
i>4-inch  thick  and  2  inches  deep,  so  it  comes  just  flush 
with  the  edge  of  the  side  planks  to  give  a  better  nailing 


ia  practically  the  same  as  cotton  batting,  only  it. is  strung 
out  into  long  strings  and  is  of  slightly  cheaper  quality.     ^ 

If  you  cannot  buy  calking  cotton  take  ordinary  cotton 
and  string  it  out  and  roll  it  into  a  cord  between  th'e  palm 
of  your  hand  and  your  knee.  After  this  has  been  driven 
into  the  seams  mix  up  some  thin  white  lead  pair^t  and  paint 
each  seam  to  hold  the  cotton  in.  When  this  paint  is  dry 
putty  the  seams,  paint  the  bottom  with  two  gqod  coats  of 
red  lead  paint  and  nail  on  the  flat  keel  and  chine,  or  edge 
pieces  to  take  the  wear  and  tear  off  the  bottom  planks, 
when  the  boat  lays  aground  or  slides  up  on  a  gravel  bed. 
The  chine  pieces  are  shown  6  inches  wide,  but  they  can 
be  any  width,  and  as  three  inches  will  bend  around  easier 
some  will  no  doubt  use  them  that  width. 

When  the  construction  has  progressed  this  far  knock  the 
braces  out  from  under  the  boat  and  turn  it  right  side  up, 
settmg  it  on  logs  to  raise  it  off  the  ground  anJ  so  as  to 
preserve  the  proper  sweep  the  bottom  is  intended  to  have. 
Then  cut  the  upper  plank  to  its  proper  shape  and  when  two 
of  these  are  ready,  one  for  each  side,  rivet  or  nail  in  the 
upright  posts  of  2-inch  by  2-inch  oak  at  the  various  places 
shown  bv  the  measurements  in  the  drawing.  Be  sure  to 
see  that  these  are  all  standinp^  plumb  before  you  nail 
them  in. 

As  most  of  these  boats  will  be  built  for  use  on  fresh 
water  rivers  and  lakes,  it  is  not  necessary  to  use  galvanized 
iron  nails  or  copper  rivets  as  is  necessary  on  salt  water,  but 
plain  iron  nails  will  do  as  Jong  as  they  are  kept  painted. 
Punch  each  nailhead  in  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch  below 
the  surface  of  the  plank  and  then  fill  the  hole  with  putty. 

The  jogs  cut  in  the  top  edge  of  the  top  olank  on  the 


/7<t-/ 


The  iides  of  ttie  txjil  ore  tx/ilf  up  qf  tuo  piinlo-  /he  shape  c/  f/?e  bolfono 
one  IS  ihoun  aboteThecun/erniMei  it  SS/tSinslon^  /fis  12 ins  w/at. 


ytsoiR?irt piaifixa  cnasuaya  eut/ff  /'it'^iuff:  u/^/ie  s/t/ei  an  tjpst£/e  j/ou/n. 


..       1           1"  ' i 

iii             i;f           T 

V 

^ 

.f 

7- '   ■• 

J, 

s- 

J' 

' 

O/iapi  c/  Tra/TSO/r? 


surface  for  the  nails  from  the  bottom  planks.  Here  is 
where  the  friend  who  has  built  a  box  can  help.  The  bot- 
tom boards  should  be  about  a  foot  in  width  and  laid  across 
from  side  to  side — lay  them  close  and  so  the  edges  make 
as  perfect  a  seam  as  possible.  Keep  the  nailheads  in,  so 
when  you  saw  them  off  flush  with  the  side  planks  you  will 
not  ruin  the  saw  teeth  by  coming  in  contact  with  z.  nail- 
head.  To  make  the  bottom  watertight  the  seams  should  be 
calked  with  cotton,  then  painted  and  puttied.     Boat  cotton 


side  make  the  various  heights  of  af.er  cattn,  cockj-it  and 
forward  deck. 

To  stiffen  the  bottom  plankiner  nail  threi  2-inch  yellow 
pine  stringers  forward  and  aft,  which  means  from  front 
to  back  in  nautical  lingo — one  right  down  the  middle 
of  the  boat  and  one  on  each  side,  leaving  a  space  of  i8- 
inches  between  them.  These  should  be  nailed  from  the  un- 
derside of  the  bottom  planks,  as  they  being  of  pine  or 
cedar,  are  thinner  and  softer  wood,  and  the  nails,  by  going 


US 


IME 


/norei^^aus  cfra,v,r,^.„uii  i^r,  /,ii:  aai/om/?/a/7/cc  cross  a/ays  po/nr  /r  ana  na//  on  Y^e /tee/ p/ank  and  ru/o  u/earina 
J/itft  furn  /ler  r/^M  jii/e  up  as  ihown  aio^e,  /as fen  //?  uphi^M  oak  pipsrs  am/  i):ni/  Sip  n/anHs  on  a.-!  ^/i^wn 


F/oor  Lerel 


,„  '     '   '     -yjidep/ank  hasiiMn  bent  araun^  /^£  /nou/Ois  to  ^eep /he  ^ii/ts  aparf  fhe  uar/oi/s  w/c/Ms  ai 
/nprey/aas^n3Minif.nai/onf/ie6offomp/ani:c  cross cvays  po/nf  /f and na'i/ on  f/?e  Aee/p/ank and /U/o  u/earin^  sfr/ps. 
'/<pnr  j/aa  up  as ^noa/n  aboi^e  fasMn  jn  /vnri/jhr  n^il'  r^/^fA- >5^/y>i^*^>y  ;^ /,/^«/*  ^«  ^^  r-i,^,..^ 


ai  ^'yen 


be  /e/fA/uareon 
na//  kne£s 


into   the   harder   wood   last,   will   hold   stronger   than   if 
nailed  from  above  into  the  soft  planking. 

If  the  boat  leaks  at  all,  and  to  keep  your  feet  dry  from 
any  rain  water  that  may  be  in  the  boat,  a  flooring  can 
be  laid  crossways  resting  on  these  three  stringers  and 
the  chine  battens  at  the  edges  of  the,  sides.  To  strengthen 
the  corner  forward  where  the  stem  joins  the  bottom,  as 
that  gets  all  the  ramming  up  against  the  shore  in  making 
landings,  cut  a  2-inch  thick  knee  and  nail  it  securely  to 
both  batten  and  inside  edge  of  the  stem. 

A  false  stem  is  then  fitted  to  the  real  stem.  The  ends  of 
the  side  planks  and  face  of  real  stem  can  be  trued  up  with 
a  sharp  plane,  so  that  the  false  stem  makes  a  perfect  joint 
■ — to  insure  water  tightness  calk  the  seams  where  the  sides 
and  stem  meet  and  paint  them.  The  false  stem  can  be 
pointed  off  sharp  for  about  one  foot  up  from  the  bottom. 
It  should  be  left  square  from  there  up,  so  two  small  oak 
knees  can  be  bolted  to  it  to  steady  the  3-inch  by  3-inch 
deck  beam  that  sets  on  top  of  the  false  stem  and  against 
the  real  stem's  face. 

Three  other  beams  shpuld  then  be  notched  into  the 
top  of  the  side  planks,  as  shown  in  the  plans,  to  carry  the 
platform  deck  forward,  which  is  really  the  front  porch,  as 
it  were,  the  place  where  everybody  enters  the  boat.  The 
platform  itself,  of  about  %-inch  stuff,  is  then  laid  fore 
and  aft  over  these  beams. 

The  second  frame  from  the  bow  is  to  be  left  sticking  up 
through  the  deck  to  form  a  "hitching  post." 

To  build  the  roof  top,  first  get  out  the  bands  that  run 
around  the  top  ends  of  the  upright  posts.  These  should  be 
of  quarter  sawed  oak  about  Yz  to  ^-inch  thick,  4  inches 
deep  over  the  forward  cockpit  and  increased  to  7  inches  in 
depth  around  the  after  cabin  part.  The  bands  across  the 
ends  are  the  same  depth  and  will  have  to  be  sawed  to 
shape  out  of  wide  planks  to  get  the  arch  shape,  which  not 
only  sheds  the  water  as  a  roof  should,  but  in  appearance 
is  far  better  than  flat  beams.  The  beams  which  go  across 
from  side  to  side  are  3  inches  in  depth  by  Ij4  inches 
thick,  of  oak,  and  have  an  arch  up  of  4  inches.  It  takes  < 
considerably  more  wood  to  cut  out  these  curved  beams 


and  many  men  will  be  tempted  to  use  flat  ones,  but  if 
this  is  done  the  side  suppcfts  should  be  carried  uo  higher, 
so  as  to  give  more  headroom  under  the  roof. 

Nail  the  ends  of  the  beams  to  the  oak  bands  and  be 
careful  first  to  bore  a  hole  for  the  nail  or  you  may  split 
the  beam  and  make  a  shaky  roof. 

Over  these  beams  lay  a  thin  roof  of  J^-inch  or  J/2-inch 
tongued  and  grooved  pine,  with  the  smooth,  side  down 
paint  the  top  and  then  stretch  wide  thin  cloth,  such  as 
sheeting,  over  it  tacked  fast  around  the  edges  and  laps 
and  then  give  that  two  or  three  thin  coats  of  paint.  Cover 
the  ed^-es  of  the  cloth  where  it  is  turned  over  and  tacked 
into  the  edge  of  the  pine  top,  with  a  half  round  oak  mould- 
ing about  94  of  an  inch  wide. 

It  will  add  to  the  appearance  of  the  roof  if  you  also 
screw  or  brad  on  a  ^-inch  half  round  oak  moulding  even 
-with  the  lower  edge  of  the  bands.  A  similar  effect  is  pro- 
duced on  the  top  edge  of  the  side  planks  of  the'  boat  by 
nailing  on  a  cap  about  M-inch  thick  if  it  is  neatly  rounded 
over  on  both  the  inside  and  outside  edges.  This  cap  wiU 
be  wider  because  it  has  to  span  from  the  side  planks  over 
to  and  cover  up  the  upper  edges  of  the  vertical  staving 
in  the  cockpit. 

This  staving  and  all  the  bulkheads  can  be  of  the  same 
kind  of  wood,  about  3^-inch  pine,  in  narrow  widths,  with 
its  edges  tongued  and  grooved. 

An  enclosed  toilet  room  is  shown  built  in  at  the  after 
end.  The  space  opposite  may  be  used  as  a  sort  of  galley, 
where  simple  meals  can  be  cooked  on  an  oil  stove. 

An  arrangement  of  leats  is  shown  which  an  owner 
may  change  to  suit  his  own  ideas.  My  idea  is  to  leave 
the  forward  cockpit  nractically  clear  of  everything  so 
chairs  can  be  used  for  seats  as  they  are  more  comfortable 
and  allow  of  a  change  of  position  when  desired. 

Two  partial  bulkheads  separate  the  engine-room,  which 
is  aft  from  the  forward  part  of  the  boat,  and,  besides 
providing  a  space  to  carry  the  gasolene  tanks,  cylindrical 
steel  or  copper  boiler  shaped  ones,  and  also  water  coolers, 
it  serves  to  somewhat  deaden  th°  engine  noises. 


116 


.*!^ 


^j^^c^g^i^^^^pt 


eft 


^^ 


Part  II 


THE  motor  installation  is  simple  enough  with  room  to 
get  all  around  and  at  the  motor,  which  is  set  en  top 
of  two  3-inch  oak  beds  that  are  nailed  to  the  floors 
and  braced  at  each  end,  particularly  at  the  fljrwheel  end, 
by  two  oak  knees,  which  distribute  the  strain  and  mate- 
rially steady  the  motor  against  rocking,  and  yet  they  need 
not  come  so  far  above  the  floor  as  to  be  stumbling  blocks 
for  people  passing  by  it. 

The  axle  of  the  sternwheel  is  high  enough  to  enable  you 
to  set  the  motor  on  a  level  base,  but  before  you  set  the 
motor  make  your  paddle  wheel  and  all  its  gear,  and  from 
this  you  can  get  the  proper  height  to  set  your  motor. 

To  carry  the  paddle  wheels  bolt  a  yellow  pine  beam  2 
inches  by  6  inches,  7  feet  long,  against  the  inner  face  of 
the  frames,  through  a  hole  chiseled  through  the  transom, 
so  they  extend  out  back  of  the  transom  3  feet  Their  outer 
ends  can  be  lightened  up  a  little  by  tapering  them  to  a 
depth  of  4  inches  at  the  after  end.  Rivet  on  a  block 
slightly  wedge-shaped  so  that  its  inner  face  stands  fore 
and  aft.  This  gives  a  broader  landing  for  the  bearings 
of  the  paddle  wheel  shaft.  Another  stout  bearer  of  yel- 
low pine  8  inches  deep  by  3  inches  thick  is  mortised 
through  the  transom  in  the  center,  so  it  lands  right  on  top 
of  the  floor  of  the  boat  and  to  which  it  is  nailed.  It  is 
tapered  down  in  height  as  it  goes  forward  until  it  is  the 
same  depth  as  the  2  by  2  inch  keelson  in  the  center  at  the 
after  end  of  the  engine.  It  also  tapers  up  on  the  after  end 
until  it  is  only  3  inches  by  3  inches.  This  bearer  carries 
the  shaft  bearings  where  the  worm  wheel  works  into  a 
gear  wheel  keyed  to  the  paddle  wheel  shaft  or  axle. 

This  worm  and  gear  wheel  you  will  have  to  buy,  and 
it  should  be  a  4  to  I  gear:  that  is,  for  four  revolutions  of 
the  shaft  from  the  motor  the  axle  of  the  paddle  wheel  will 
turn  over  once.  This,  at  300  revolutions  and  25  per  cent, 
slip,  will  give  a  speed  of  about  8  miles  an  hour. 

(The  outer  end  of  the  motgr  shaft  will  turn  in  two  bear- 
ings bolted  to  the  outer  end  of  the  central  beam,  one  just 
in  front  of  and  one  just  back  of  the  worm  gear,  with  ball 
bearing  washers  between  to  reduce  the  friction  caused  by 
the  thrust  that  will  come  upon  these  bearings  when  going 
ahead  or  backing.    The  bearings  for  the  axle  of  the  wheel 


should  be  fitted  with  grease  cups  on  top,  and  be  careful 
to  see  that  the  axle  bearings  are  perfectly  level  so  the 
wheel  will  not  be  lop-sided. 

Various  other  means  are  sometimes  employed  for  driv- 
ing the  paddle  wheel.  Some  use  a  sprocket-wheel  set-off 
on  one  end  of  the  axle,  with  a  sprocket  chain  connection  to 
a  smaller  wheel  on  the  end  of  the  motor  shaft  with  the 
motor  set  so  it  extends  crossways  in  the  boat.  This  is  a 
very  simple  method  of  transmitting  the  power,  but  its 
objections  are  the  difficulty  experienced  in  taking  up  the 


-GreaxCi/p 


iVheeJ 


.  Wheel ■»! 


6iear,  ■ 


■W70    ' 


^«» 


9reas^Ccp^ 


/Ix/e 


/Irranc^ement  of  bearirx^s  for  <3)c/e  of  /he 
^fern  i<jheef  ark^f  erk^f  of  shaff 

slack  of  the  chain  which  soon  becomes  loose,  .and  the  fact 
that  the  chain,  if  it  breaks,  goes  to  the  bottom  of  the  river 
and  leaves  the  boat  helpless.  With  the  chain  transmission 
the  wheel  is  made  in  one  piece  and  the  paddles  are  much 
larger,  and  for  that  reason  cause  more  vibration  than  the 
method  we  have  shown.  Here  the  paddle  wheel  is  made 
in  two  parts,  with  the  transmission  gear  in  a  straight  line 
back  of  the  motor.  The  middle  of  the  wheel  axle  being 
supported  at  the  level  gear  and  both  ends,  makes  a 
steadier  running  wheel  and,  what  is  of  far  more"  import- 
ance to  the  smoothness  of  the  boat's  running,  is  the  fact 
that  the  wheel  by  being  in  two  sections  with  the  paddles 
set  one  slightly  in  advance  of  the  other  the  shock  of  the 
paddle  hitting  the  water  is  only  half  as  severe  as  it  would 
be  with  one  wide  paddle  board  clear  across,  and  its  action 
always  having  one  or  two  paddles  submerged  all  the  time. 
This  is  an  important  feature  of  sternwheel  propulsion. 


U7 


for  if  one  bucket  is  just  comingout  and  another  just  enter- 
ing, the  load  on  the  engine  is  at  that  moment  very  light, 
and  then  heavy  the  next  minute  as  the  bucket  goes  under, 
producing  a  jerky  effect  on  the  motor  and  gears. 

Another  point  to  be  observed  in  sternwheel  propulsion 
is  to  have  the  paddle  wheel  as  large  as  possible,  so  that 
as  the  paddles  come  down  into  the  water  the  boards,  or 
buckets  as  some  call  them,  will  not  come  down  so  as  to 
slap  the*  water  with  a  shock,  but  will  dip  in  as  near  edge- 
wise as  possible. 

The  wheel  in  this  particular  boat  is  3-feet  6-inches  in 
diameter,  there  being  eight  arms  bolted  at  the  center  to 
a  circular  iron  plate  10  or  12  inches  in  diameter  about 
j4-inch  thick,  with  a  heavy  hub  that  fits  on  the  2-inch 
axle,  and  to  which  it  is  fastened  by  means  of  an  iron  key 
driven  into  a  slot  cut  half  out  of  the  axle  and  half  out  of 
the  hub.  The  arms  may  be  braced  out  near  the  buckets 
by  means  of  an  iron  hoop  bolted  to  each  arm  or  by  oak 
braces  jammed  between  each  arm. 

Both  wheels  may  be  exactly  alike,  but  when  you  cut  the 
keyways  to  hold  them  on  the  axle  cut  one  so  it  sets  the 


Phn  of  rudders  for 
^tern  Wheeler 


Teoo  styles  ofrcidder 
han(fer-5  -  a  strdp  and 
3  ^crecoeye. 


ft  comparison  bef^caeen  a  3b"<3nd<3  2^"diamel-er 
paddle  u/heeU  both  to  dip  W  shows  ro  hoco  wach 
beH-eradi/antcXfe  the  bcfcl<ef  on  the  /ar^'er  i^hee) 
■hih  ■the  water- /ess  s/ap  and  wore  push. 

paddles  or  buckets  about  6  inches  in  advance  of  those  on 
the  other  wheel. 

As  paddle  wheels  throw  considerable  water,  they  are 
often  partly  covered  by  a  shield  to  keep  it  from  flying 
about.  This,  in  our  case,  is  taken  care  of  by  building  up 
the  after  end  of  the  boat  with  a  staved  up  partition  that 


can  be  made  re- 
movable all  in 
one  piece  or  in 
sections  to  enable 
you  to  get  at  the 
paddle  wheel  and 
rudders  when- 
ever any  adjust- 
ment may  be  nec- 
essary there,  and 
yet  it  will  be 
tight  enough  to 
keep  out  any  wa- 
ter that  may 
splash  up  against 
it. 

The  paddle 
wheel  is  kept 
back  from  the 
hull  for  ".the  rea- 
son that  the  wheel 
works  much  more 
efficiently  if  it  is 
just  on  the  crest 
of  the  stern 
wave,  which  will 
be  about  where 
we  have  ,  located 
it  at  the  speed  she  will  usually  make. 

The  buckets  or  paddles  should  be  of  hardwood,  21  inches 
long  by  6  inches  wide  and  from  Y%  to  ^^  of  an  inch  thick, 
fastened  to  the  paddle  wheel  arms  by  two  5-16-inch  car- 
riage bolts  into  each  arm.  They  should  be  made  as  inter- 
changeable as  possible,  and  one  or  two  -extra  padclles  al- 
ways carried  on  board  to  replace  aiiy  that  may  be  smashed 
by  coming  in  contact,  with  a  piece  of  driftwood.  ■*  If  all 
the  holes  are  bored  tHe,  same  distance  apart  a  new  paddle 
already  bored.for  the  ^  bolts  can  be  substituted  in  .a  few 
moments. 

The  steering  gear  consists  of  two  oak  rudders  13' inches 
long  by  12  inches  deep,  with  their  after  ends  cut  so  as  to 
clear  the  paddle  wheels,  hinged  to  the  oak  transom,  so 
they  drop  3  inches  below  the  bottom  and  set  in  10  inches 
from  the  sides  so  that  they  will  not  project  beyond  the 
sides  when  turned  around  to  an  angle  of  45  degrees. 

The  rudders  are  hinged 
by  means  of  two  eye  bolts 
bolted  th-rough  the  transom, 
as  shown  on  the  plans,  and 
tvvo  eyebolts  or  iron  straps, 
about  I  inch  wide  and  y%- 
inch  thick  bolted  to  the  sides 
of  the  rudders,  .  and  bent 
aroutid  their  forward 'edge 
so  as  to  form  loops,  with  an 
iron  bolt  about  J^-inch  in 
diameter  ■'  dropped  through 
them.  The  upper  '  eye  or 
loop  in  the  rudder,  coming 
just  under  the  eye  in  the 
stern,  prevents  the  '  rudder 
lifting,  and  the  lower  eye, 
being  just  above  the  one  in 
the  stern,  prevents  the  rud- 
der dropping.  This  is  as 
simple  and  yet  as  effective  a 
style  of  rudder  hanging  as 
you  can  get. 

By  linking  the  after  edge  of 
both  rudders  together  with  a 
flat  iron  bar  4  feet  long,  ij^ 
inches  wide  and  about  3-32 
of  an  inch  thick  the  wheel 
ropes    .which    lead    forward 


118 


over  pulleys  or  sheaves  can  be  shackled  into  holes  drilled  can  be  had  free  from  gnats  and  mosquitoes,  and  the  for- 

through  the  outer  ends  of  this  bar,  and  then  lead  forward  ward  part  protected  by  curtains  tacked  to  the  roof  band 

to  the  steering  wheel  on  the  lefthand  side,  so  a  person  can  and  arranged  to  roll  up  when  not  needed  or  dropped  to 

sit  on  the  short  seat  built  just  forward  of  the  partition  and  keep  off  the  hot  sun. 

steer  in  comfort.                                                   «  Such  a  boat  will  afford  a  lot  of  pleasure  to  a  man  and 

By  fitting  wire  netting  screens  around  the  after  end  of  'his  family  on  waters  where  an  ordinary  motorboat  could 

the  boat  between  the   roof  stanchions,  sleeping  quarters  not  go  at  all. 


» 


, 


119 


Motorboat    Handbook 

VOLUME  I. 

(NOW  IN  THE  FOURTH  EDITION) 

A  Reference  book  for  the  Expert,  a  Text  book 
for  the  Novice;  a  work  that  should  be  kept  on 
board  every  motorboat  for  constant  reference.  It 
is  helpful  when  you  buy  or  build  a  boat  and  ever 
afterwards.  This  book  is  a  necessity  to  the  man 
who  owns  or  expects  to  own  a  motorboat.  Written 
so  that  the  novice  cam  understand. 


CON  TE  NTS 

PART    I 

Cabin  Types 

Hauling  Out  Motorboats 

Awnings 

How  to  Build  a  Crab 

Comfort  in  Steering 

Care  of  the  Boat  in  Winter 

Sails  on  Motorboats 

Striking  the  Water  Line 

Motorboat  Forms 

Scraping  and  Painting 

Lights  and  Flags 

Patching  Up 

Marine  Railway  Holsters 

Racing  Bottoms 

Putting  the  Boat  Overboard 

PART   II 

Moorings  for  Motorboats 

Motors  from  the  Buyer's  Standpoint 

Why  Hulls  Strain 

Reversing  Devices 

The  Ballasting  of  Motorboats 

Propellers 

Frame  Construction 

Ignition 

Bending  Frames 

Electricity  as  Applied  to  Motor  Ignition 

Planking 

A  Talk  on  Common  Ignition  Troubles 

The  Garboard  Strake 

Electric  Circuits  for  Motorboats 

Forms  of  Fastenings  Used  in  Boat 

Building 

Carburetors  and  Vaporizers 

Deck  Construction 

Adaptation  of  the  Storage  Battery  for  Marine 

Bow  and  Stem  Types 

Purposes 

Motor  Installation 

Nautical  Etiquette 

Steering  Gear 

The  Way  to  Organize  a  Motorboat  Club 

Printed  on  fine  paper,  handsomely  bound  in  cloth, 
over  200  illustrations. 

Price,  Postpaid,  One  Dollar 


THE  MOTOR   BOAT  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


II0-II2    WEST    40th    STREET 


NEW    YORK    CITY 


120 


Motorboat    Handbook 

VOLUME  II. 

This  volume  is  a  companion  work  with  Volume 
I,  described  on  the  preceding  page.  It  is  fully  as 
valuable,  and  nearly  everyone  who  had  read  Volume 
I  ordered  a  copy  of  this  second  volume  as  soon  as 
it  was  announced.  It  is  printed  and  bound  in 
uniform  style,  and  these  two  volumes  contain  all 
the  information  that  a  boat  owner  can  desire. 


CONTENTS 

Comfort  at  the  Wheel 

Following  in  a  Wake  ' 

Steering 

The  Factor  of  Speed 

Seaworthiness  of  Motorboats 

Speed  Formula 

Ground  Tackle 

Heating  the  Fuel  Charge 

Cabins  on  Small  Motorboats 

Cause  of  Back-firing 

Cutting  a  Rabbet 

Corrosion  of  Water  Jacket 

Marine  Runways 

Ignition  Inquiries 

Gangways 

Discussion  of  Adiabatic  Compression  Formula 

The  Table  of  Offsets 

Revolutions 

How  to  Project  a  Transom 

Fuel  Consumption,  Two  and  Four  Cycle 

Points  for  Boat  Buyers 

Compression 

Fitting  Out 

Valve  Springs 

Evolution  of  the  Marine  Motor 

Pre-ignition 

Reversing  Devices 

Steel  Hull  Cruiser 

Motorboat  Propellers 

Gasolene  Tanks  Do  Not  Explode 

Measurements,  Ratings  and  Handicaps 

Fly-wheels 

Selected  Questions  and  Answers 

Importance  of  Refinement  under  Water 

Cementing  the  Bottom 

Crank  Case  Explosion— Converted  Sailboat 

Applying  Graphite  to  the  Bottom 

An  Adjustable  Spar 

The  Waterline 

The  Brake  Test  Explained 

Paint  for  Exhaust  Pipes 

Ridding  a  Boat  of  Water  by  Its  Velocity 

Right  of  Way 

Siphon  Bilge  Pump 

To  Determine  Horsepower 

Yacht  Flags  (color  plate) 

How  to  Reduce  Plans  of  Boat 

Flags  on  Motorboats 

Stuffing  Box  Packing 

Storm  Warning  Signals 

Determination  of  Propeller  Pitch 

U.  S.  Weather  Signals 

Twin  Screw  Installation 

Storm  Signals  (color  plate) 

Squatting 

U.  S.  Weather  Signals  (color  plate) 

Propeller  Queries 

Signal  Code  for  Use  on  Motorboats 

Propeller  Shaft  Inclination 

International  Code  Flags  (color  plate) 

Price,  Postpaid,  One  Dollar 


THE  MOTOR  BOAT  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


IIO-II2    WEST    40th    STREET 


NEW    YORK    CITY 


121 


Motor  Boat  Handbook 

Vol.  Ill 

Fully  Illustrated — For  Motorboat  Owners 

TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 

How  the   Shape   of  the   Hull   Affects   the 

Strength  of  a  Boat 
Keels,  Stems  and  Sterns 
Frames,  Floors  and  Stringers 
Planking,  Decks  and  Interior  Work 
Fastenings  Used  in  Motorboat  Construction 
Paints  and  Their  Use 
Flexibility  in  Boats 
Bilge  Pumps  for  Motorboats 
What  Makes  a  Dry  Sea  Boat? 
How  to  Make  a  Scale  for  Any  Boat  Design 
How  to  Weigh  a  Racing  Boat 
Racing  Buoys 
Riding  to  a  Sea  Drag 
Overhauling  a  Two-Cycle   Motor 
Overhauling  a  Four-Cycle  Motor 
Some  Exhaust  Installations  I  Have  Met 
Valves  and  Valve  Timing 
Simple  Motor  Wiring 

Something  About  Electric  Lighting  Outfits 
The  Motor's  Electrical  Equipment 


Price,  One  Dollar,  X?.v^'ht. 
THE  MOTOR  BOAT  PUBLISHING  CO. 
110-112  WEST  40th  STREET        -      NEW  YORK 


122 


THE  MARINE  MOTOR  tt.'v^l.n'lTvl 

By    A.    E,    POTTER 

THE  ONLY  COMPLETE  900K  ON  MARINE  MOTORS 


Table    of    Contents 


Chapter  I. — Principles  and  Types. 

CHAPTER  II.— Construction. 

Proportions — Compression — Crank  Case  or  Pri- 
mary Compression — Piston  Displacement — Bal- 
ancing Motors — Wrist  Pin  offset  with  Crank 
Shaft — Slow  Speed  Two-Stroke-Cycle — Medium 
Speed  Two-Stroke-Cycle — High  Speed  Two- 
Stroke-Cycle — Two-Port  Motors,  Enclosed 
Crank  Case — Two-Port  Motors,  Open  Crank 
Case  —  Three-Port  Motors,  Enclosed  Crank 
Case — Three-Port  Motors,  Open  Crank  Case — 
Combined  Two-  and  Three-Port  Motors — Posi- 
tive Two-Stroke  Inlet  Valves — Four-Stroke- 
Cycle  Slow  Speed  Motors — Four-Stroke-Cycle 
„  Medium  Speed  Motors — Four-Stroke-Cycle 
High  Speed  Motors — Reversing  and  Air  Start- 
ing Motors  —  Self-Starting  Marine  Motors  — 
Double-Acting  Marine  Motors  —  Automobile 
Motors  for  Motorboats  and  Marine  Motors  for 
Automobiles — Kerosene,  Producer  Gas  and  Fuel 
Oil  Motors. 

Chapter  III. — Motor  Parts  and  Functions. 

Two-Stroke-Cycle  Cylinders  —  Four-Stroke-Cy- 
cle Cylinders — Two-Stroke-Cycle  Ports — Two- 
Stroke-Cycle  Cylinder  Heads — Four-Stroke-Cy- 
cle Cylinder  Heads — Pistons  Two-  and  Four- 
Stroke-Cycle — Piston  Rings — Connecting  Rods 
— Crank  Shafts — Fly-Wheels — Wrist  and  Crank 
Pins — Crank  and  Cam  Shaft  Gears — Cam  Shafts 
— Motor  Valves — Rotary  and  Sleeve  Valves — 
Valve  Springs — Valve  Location — Valve  Stem 
Guides — Valve  Operation — Inlet  Manifolds — 
Exhaust  Manifolds — Priming  and  Relief  Cocks 
— Bearings — Eccentrics  and  Eccentric  Straps — 
Water  Pumps  and  Location — Check  Valves  for 
Marine  Motors — MuiBers  and  Muffling — Re- 
verse Gears  and  Clutches — Bilge  Pumps — Air 
Pumps  —  Motor  Governors  —  Mechanical  and 
Rear  Starters — Propeller  Shafts  and  Shaft 
Couplings — Stuffing  Boxes  and  Stern  Bearings 
— Propellers. 


Chapter  IV. — Ignition. 

Primary  Batteries  and  Their  Care — Secondary 
Batteries  or  Accumulators  and  Their  Care — 
Battery  Connections — Mechanical  Electric  Gen- 
erators— Magnetos — Dynamos — Switches — Tim- 
ers— Distributors — Spark  or  Induction  Coils — 
Jump  Spark  Coils — Master  Vibrators  and  Con- 
densers— Plug  Spark  Coils— Magnetic  Spark 
Plugs  —  Air  Gaps  —  Double  Ignition  —  Ignition 
Synchronism,  Speed  and  Direction  —  Single 
Spark  Battery  Systems. 

Chapter  V. — Carburetion, 

Chapter  VI. — Lubrication. 

Lubricants — Graphite  as  a  Lubricant — Testing 
and  Selection  of  Lubricants. 

Chapter  VII. — Selection  of  Motors. 

Speed  Flexibility — Second  Hand  Motors  — 
Tables. 

Chapter  VIII. — Installation. 

Twin-Screw  Installation — Final  Inspection. 

Chapter  IX. — Operation, 
Cautions. 

Chapter  X. — Troubles  and  Cares. 

Refusal  to  Start — Missing  Explosions — Sluggish 
Operation — Uneven  Running — Gradual  Slowing 
Down — Running  in  Cold  Weather — S  u  d  d  e  n 
Stopping — Cause  and  Remedy  for  Noisy  Mo- 
tors —  Electrolysis  and  Corrosion  —  Adjusting 
Carbureter  s — Blowing  Back  Through  Car- 
bureter. 

Chapter  XI. — Testing  and  Efficiency. 

Testing  the  Compression,  Cylinder  and  Crank 
Case — Fuel  Consumption  Tests — Consumption 
of  Fuel — Efficiency  of  Marine  Motors — ^Mean 
Effective   Pressure — Causes  of  Poor  Efficiency. 

Chapter  XII. — Care  and  Repair. 

Winter  Care — Overhauling  the  Motor — Dis- 
sembling— Re-Assembling — Emergency  Repair 
Kits. 


FITTING  OUT  TIME  IS  HERE.    THIS  BOOK   WILL  HELP  YOU  OUT 

Vrice    ^1.00,    "Postpaid  Anytvher* 
MOTOR  BOAT  PUBLISHING  CO..  110  West  40th  Street.  N.Y.  City 


123 


CANADA 


Follow  these  Charts  for  your 
Summer's  Cruise— 

These  Motor  Boat  Charts  cover  some  of  the  most  pic- 
turesque Waterways  of  North  America,  and  will  lead  you 
through  marvelously  beautiful  country.  They  are  carefully 
drawn,  giving  details  that  make  navigation  simple  and  easy. 


MfiANY 


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4 


ScASTtCTOM  ;, 


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Chart  Ko.   1. — The  Upper  Hudion  River,  the  Canal>  and 
Inland  Lakes  of  the  Sute  of  New  York. 

Okart  No.  2. — Lake  Champlain. 

Obart  No.  2-a. — Lake    George,    with    information    how    to 
Miter  and  leave  the  lake. 

Oliart  No.  8. — The    Richelieu    River,    from    Rousei    Point, 
Lake  Champlain,  to  St.  Johns,  P.  Q. 

Cbart  No.  4. — St    Johns,    P.    Q.,    to    Serel,    oa    the    St. 
Lawrence,  via  the  Chambly  Canal  and  Richelieu  River. 

Chart    No.    6. — The    St.    Lawrence    River,    from    Sorel    to 
Montreal. 

CSAIO'B  A  B  C  OF  THE  HIVEK  ST.  LAWXENOE,  a 
Thousand  Island  Segrlon. 


Chart  No.  6. — Ottawa  River  from  Ste.  Anne  to 
Grenville. 

Chart  No.  7. — Ottawa  River  from  Grenville 
to  Ottawa. 

Chart  No,  8. — Ottawa,  Ont.,  to  Smith's  Falls,  Ont.,  vis 
Rideau  River  and  Rideau  Canal. 

Chart  No.  9. — Smith's  Falls  to  Kingston,  including  the 
Rideau  Lakes. 

Chart  No.  10. — The  Eastern  End  of  Lake  Ontario,  show- 
ing the  course  across  the  lake  from  Kingston  to  Oswego,  also 
the  entrance  to  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  the  Harbors  of 
Kingston,  Sacketts  Harbor  and  Oswego. 

complete  guide  to  this  famous  Siver,  Including  the  Wonderful 


iv*^ 


Price,  $1.00  each;  or  the  entire  set  for  $8.00 
Any  six  charts  for  $5.00 

ORDER  BY  NlAffiER  POSTAGE  PREPAID  ANYWHERE 

THE  MOTOR  BOAT  PUBLISHING  CO.,  110  West  40th  Street,  NEW  YORK 


ik: 


124 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 


LOAN  DEPT. 

is  due  on  the  last  date  stampe 

3n  the  date  to  which  renewec 

Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or     y 
on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 


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General  Libraiy 
University  of  California         'K  1  r  IC 
Berkeley  U  I  ■  r^ 


